


Making a Home

by Featherfur



Series: Making A Home [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Growing Up, Healing, Kid Fic, Multi, Non-Graphic Violence, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Slow Burn, Weekly Updates, from the child abuse, wedding boutique, wedding shop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:40:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 106,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23251075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Featherfur/pseuds/Featherfur
Summary: Kita Shinsuke had experienced a lot in life. He had been raised with his grandmother, a loving foster parent and for some time he followed in her foot steps before finding his own path. He thought his foster care license had expired before getting a call at three am with two small boys thrust into his arms.Miya Osamu and Atsumu, from broken homes but still fighting. Thirty days before his license expires. Thirty days to make a choice, keep the boys or let them be separated into different homes. Thirty days to fall in love with them.
Relationships: Kita Shinsuke & Akagi Michinari, Kita Shinsuke & Miya Atsumu & Miya Osamu, Kita Shinsuke & Oomimi Ren, Kita Shinsuke/Ojiro Aran
Series: Making A Home [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854892
Comments: 421
Kudos: 1146
Collections: My favorite haikyuu fics, ari's haikyuu recs, haikyuu meets adhd, kagsivity's fic archive





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There are some minor panic attack scenes that I will mark with the notes so please read them, everything else in non-graphic.

When Kita Shinsuke had gotten the call from his friend in social services he wasn’t sure what to expect. It certainly wasn’t a request to meet Oomimi at a police station at three am.

Even as he made his way down the halls his mind whirled with thoughts, trying to figure out what was going on that couldn’t wait till morning. For a second he was struck with the idea that Akagi had been arrested, before remembering that he wasn’t in the country so that wasn’t possible. Besides, he probably would have been the one to call Shinsuke and laugh his ear off about it.

“Oomimi.” He called as he spotted his tall friend, towering over everyone as he leaned against a desk. Shinsuke glanced at the officer sitting at the desk, taking in the black messy hair and sharp yellow eyes. He hadn’t dealt with him before but he’d heard good things about him.

“Ah, good, you’re here Kita.” Oomimi pushed off the desk, his normally blank face twisted into an unhappy frown as he stepped up to his old friend. “Sorry to call you this late, nobody else is available.”

“Available for what exactly?” 

“Emergency foster care.” Kuroo said quietly as he moved to his feet and extended a hand towards Shinsuke. “Kuroo Tetsurou.”

“Kita Shinsuke.” Shinsuke shook it as he turned back to Oomimi, trying not to be surprised. He waited patiently for the explanation, Oomimi would blurt out everything eventually.

“You’re the only one in the area that is already licensed and you’ve done emergency work before.”

“That was only for a few days and I still had notice before the raid. There are other foster care around here, why me?” Shinsuke pointed out, looking at Kuroo. The police officer looked exhausted as he grabbed a thick folder and offered it to Shinsuke. Medical files.

Shinsuke grabbed them and flipped through the two files, anger and disgust rolling in his stomach as he read through. Years and years of abuse building up to broken hearts and terrified kids.

“Why was this not reported?”

“It was… First and second homes were both busted for abuse and ever since the two have been thrown from foster care to foster care.” Oomimi put in, holding up his own file. “Normally they wouldn’t have been. But they wanted to stay together and when they tried to seperate them because a family wanted to adopt the younger brother…”

Kuroo grabbed his own file, thinner but it was a police report. He let it fall open on his hand and show its contents. Two photographs were paper clipped to the page. One of a man’s arm with a bite mark, the other was a small pale child with black hair and a multitude of bruises down the side of his face.

“Atsumu, the one you see, tried to run after his brother and when he was pulled away he bit his guardian. Who proceeded to do what you see here. The would be adoptees called the police and we intervened before it got any worse.”

“The adoptees decided to cancel the adoption, saying they don’t trust Osamu, his brother, not to be violent too.”

“A little boy is beaten for reacting to his brother being ripped away and they call him violent….” Shinsuke sighed, shaking his head. “So when you said no one else was available you meant…”

“That you’re the only one I trust to take care of these boys and not make it even worse for them. And the fact that nobody wants to take him in after he bit his last guardian.” Oomimi nodded, leaning back against the desk again.

“We’re friends, doesn’t that mean you can’t decide to put them with me?”

“That’s why I called in a professional. He worked with you before, with your other kids and he is kind of smitten with you.” Oomimi’s lips twitched at Shinsuke’s blank face.

“We’re both professionals, why do you do this to me? Why haven’t I earned a rest?” Another voice sounded as Moniwa Kaname hurried into the room, breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon. He groaned and bent over to breathe in, waving papers at Oomimi’s hips until the man took them.

“Got all the paperwork, and the approval… and the checks passed. Good gods don’t ever make me have to call our lawyer this early in the morning again, I thought he was going to kill me through the phone.” Kaname continued, smiling painfully at Shinsuke before gratefully falling into the chair Kuroo grabbed for him.

“Wow… Moniwa-sama you should get paid for this work.” Oomimi drawled, turning his head so only Shinsuke could see the smile lifting his lips. Moniwa just groaned, rubbing his eyes.

“You’re taking him too right? Feel free to leave him in any nearby garbage cans like a stray cat.” Moniwa finally straightened, smiling tiredly at Kita. All three of them looked exhausted actually and Kita couldn’t help but wonder how long they’d been fighting with the agency to get the boys a place to stay for a while.

“Where are the boys?” Shinsuke asked, carefully reading down the medical files in front of him. There were a few things he would have to be careful about and he wondered if he had time to run to the store, probably not. He’d have to go tomorrow then, with the boys probably… 

“With Kenma.” Kuroo said, pointing to a room off down the hall. Shinsuke nodded, putting down the files and taking up a pen.

He took the chair Oomimi offered and started to sign through everything, quietly talking with him and Kaname over the process. For now it was an emergency foster situation while they looked for a more permanent solution, but after this incident they weren’t sure when they would be able to find a home for both boys.

Kita wasn’t sure about taking them in for longer than a month, he had a job he worked long hours in, a grandmother he was looking out for, and his own plans for life that hadn’t involved two children. He was only a licensed foster caregiver because he had taken after his grandmother and thought he wanted to help kids the same way she had, since then however Shinsuke had only had three kids in his house.

Two of them had been emergencies, needing a place to be safe in for a few days while their parents had been flown in after their aunt had gotten drunk and crashed her car and couldn’t leave the hospital. The other had stayed with Shinsuke for almost three months after a drug raid had put her parents in prison, she was adopted by her uncle soon after and was gone before the final month ended.

It had been a long time, Shinsuke could admit, and she had left his house a lot better than she had come in. Maybe that’s why they were asking him, he had a history with abused kids and he knew how to handle and help them. Plus his grandmother had been a foster mom for years and he had helped her with it, only retiring now since she couldn’t see.

Since then it had been nearly two years, Shinsuke honestly thought his license had expired after not renewing it when his business took off. His house was still mostly child proof however, and the rooms were set up, they needed new sheets but that could be fixed easily. He  _ did  _ own his business so he could always hire more help while caring for the two kids. It wasn’t exactly the best situation but he would feel a lot better if the kids stayed with him instead of being left overnight at a police station until they found someone willing to help them.

“I’m going to need to call someone to-” Shinsuke started only to blink when Oomimi smiled and shook his head. Suspicion ran through him and he narrowed his eyes.

“Check your phone.”

Shinsuke debated on running home before he pulled out his phone with a sigh. The only person in the world who could get Oomimi that ecstatic was-

_ One new message from Digging Fox _

Akagi.

_ Hey bro! Ren hit me up an hour ago and told me you’d need my help, how's it look? _

_ Picture Attached. _

Shinsuke pulled up the picture, ignoring the urge to roll his eyes at Akagi posed between the twin mattresses in the extra bedroom. The sheets had been added and a plastic cover was tucked underneath them and a fluffy duvet was on each of them, and next to the pillow was Akagi’s ‘special’ touch. Two stuffed foxes stared blankly at the camera as Shinsuke turned up to his friend.

“Why is it always foxes?”

“He has major issues,” Oomimi said simply, “but he is reliable.”

“How did he get back from Cambodia so quickly?”

“Oh he got back yesterday, he was just crashing at my place while looking for another apartment.”

“Perhaps if he stopped leaving the country for months on end, he wouldn’t have to worry about not having an apartment to come back to.” Shinsuke sighed fondly. Akagi had always been a wild soul, atleast he would eventually make his way back home as long as Shinsuke kept a key for him.

“Yeah but you know him. If he’s not off being a photographer, he’s writing his books, and if he’s not writing his books he’s working as a translator, and if he’s not doing that, then he’s a virtual assistant. Then again… you are the only one he’s ever listened to, you could probably get him to settle down.” Shinsuke hummed at the idea, scribbling his signature on the last piece of paperwork.

“Not yet. He’s not in danger or running out of money, he just gets bored too easily and is too curious. If he doesn’t settle down by the time we’re thirty five then I’ll say something, but I don’t think a desk job is his future. If he is truly happy with odd jobs and he can support himself then there isn’t really anything for me to say is there? I’m proud of him for taking his life into his own hands.”

“Can you say that again, so I can record it? The great Kita Shinsuke, proud of someone. You’d make the old team cry.” Oomimi said, wiping away a fake tear as he held out his phone. Against his will, Shinsuke’s lips twitched up and he shook his head at him. The ‘Great’ Kita Shinsuke. Oomimi could be ridiculous sometimes, but Kita loved him regardless, there was a reason they were still best friends even nine years out of highschool.

“Where are the boys? It’s late and I don’t want to make them wait any longer than they have to.” Shinsuke pushed out of his chair, handing the medical files to Oomimi. “You can carry these while I get the boys.”

“See Moniwa? Stone cold. Stone. Cold.” Oomimi whispered to Moniwa who just sighed softly.

Kuroo stood after scribbling something down on a notepad and moved down the hall, waving Shinsuke after him. He slowed down until they were side by side and leaned over to talk to him.

“They’re a little frightened right now but Kenma got them to calm down by playing games. Osamu was asleep last time I checked in but I don’t think Atsumu will sleep until they’re actually at home. I tried to get them to eat something but Atsumu was too wired and refused to leave his brother alone for more than a few seconds and Osamu wasn’t feeling well.” Kuroo explained, watching Shinsuke nod with the same neutral face. Kuroo had seen a lot of foster parents but never one so cold looking, if it hadn’t been Moniwa vying for him Kuroo might have refused to hand them over.

They rounded a corner and stepped into the first room on the left, pausing in the doorway.

The brothers were pressed up against an older man, who Shinsuke assumed was Kenma. He had a computer on his lap, turned slightly so the awake brother could tap away at the game with one hand. The other brother was asleep, arm stretched over Kenma’s lap so his hand could hold onto his brother’s on the other side.

The two looked up as Shinsuke stepped in, leaving Kuroo at the doorway. The awake brother pressed closer to Kenma, hand gripping his brother’s so tight he squirmed unhappily until he loosed his grip.

Shinsuke moved slowly across the empty room until he could crouch down by Kenma’s feet. The one watching him still had the black and blue bruises down his cheek, eyes averted for a moment before coming back and glaring at him, fear obvious.

“You must be Atsumu, I’m Kita Shinsuke.” Shinsuke said, smiling just a little when he nodded. Atsumu’s gray eyes were staring him down like a wild animal, but his hand was firmly clasped on his brother’s. He was a little shaky, probably running on nothing but anxiety and adrenaline which was still a surprise that his little body was awake at all, but he might have slept at the hospital.

“Do you know what’s going on?”

“... You’re going to take me somewhere right?” Atsumu said with a bit of jostling from Kenma. Kenma’s own gold eyes flashed as they watched Shinsuke, just as deciphering and calculating as Oikawa’s and nearly as protective.

“I’m taking you and your brother.” Shinsuke corrected, anger rolling in his chest at the shocked look on Atsumu’s face. It was one of the things he despised about the foster care system, how could you rip away two siblings from each other. Especially when at the end of the day they only had each other they could rely on.

“Me and…”

“You and Osamu, yes. You’re both going to stay with me for a little while, maybe a long while.”

“Till you get tired of us right?” Atsumu spat, a sudden viciousness in his eyes even as they drooped with exhaustion. Shinsuke didn’t flinch but moved to sit on his ankles instead of crouching.

“Until we can find a home that is willing to raise both of you as brothers, not take you away from each other. I know it’s frustrating moving from place to place, but with me, you will stay under my care until we have a permanent solution. Even if that takes a long time. You might get tired of me though, I have been told I am very boring.” Shinsuke said evenly, kids didn’t like being talked down too, even at the young age of six. He remembered when adoptees and other foster parents came to see his grandmother, they always looked down on him and he’d despised it. Being young just meant inexperienced not unintelligent.

“You’re not… you’re not going to give Osamu away?”

“No I’m not. I won’t give you away either.” Atsumu studied him, drawing his eyes over his clothes and hair and crossing his arms. Though Shinsuke noticed he didn’t release his brother for a second.

“You don’t look boring.” Atsumu said, as if he was catching Kita in a lie.

“I am wearing my pajamas. It is three am, it is what most people wear this early in the morning. Normally I am very well put together.”

“You definitely sound boring.”

“I did warn you.” Shinsuke said simply as Atsumu humphed and watched him again. Shinsuke just watched him back until the curse of being six and unstimulated came to haunt Atsumu and he wiggled.

“What?”

“What what?” Shinsuke hummed, Atsumu’s face twisting in confusion.

“What?”

“Are you ready to go home Atsumu?” Shinsuke asked softly, noting the fingers that tightened out of fear and stress. Perhaps home wasn’t the best word. “I have beds ready for you so your brother doesn't have to sleep on the floor, and I can make breakfast in a few hours.”

“I don’t really have a choice do I?” 

Shinsuke debated on lying before he moved to his feet and offered a hand to Atsumu. Atsumu definitely seemed the type to definitely ask for the other choices if given half a chance, so there wasn’t a point.

“Not really.”

“.... You don’t lie much do you?”

“No.”

“..... Weirdo.” Atsumu tried to whisper it to Kenma but Shinsuke could hear it easily. Despite that, Atsumu reached up and grabbed his hand, pulling himself up with all the strength in his tiny body. His hand stayed with his brother’s, pulling Osamu up at a weird angle. Osamu didn’t even flinch, happily asleep.

“Can I carry your brother so he can keep sleeping?” Shinsuke asked. Fear flitted through Atsumu’s gaze before he looked at his brother sleeping peacefully. With a sigh he dropped Kita’s hand and nodded.

“Don’t drop him.” Atsumu ordered as Kita gently lifted up the sleeping twin. Both of Osamu’s arms wrapped around his neck subconsciously and Kita moved him to his hip.

“Would you like to hold onto my hand or your brother?” The offer definitely took Atsumu by surprise because his jaw dropped and a resounding intelligent “uhhhhhhhhhh” came from his mouth.

“I… Don’t… know….” Atsumu seemed completely unbalanced by the offer so Kita simply took his hand again. It would be a simple matter to move Atsumu’s hand to his brother and Shinsuke didn’t want them to risk being injured on the ride home.

“Would you like to say goodbye to Kenma-san?”

“Kenma-kun! Bye!” Atsumu definitely jumped on that offer and Shinsuke could see Kenma’s lips twisting into a fond smile as he said his own goodbye and followed them at a much slower pace.

Once they were out of the room, Atsumu’s hand tightened on Shinsuke’s as if afraid he was going to be passed on to one of the other adults in the room.

“Oomimi, do you want to drop the files off tomorrow then? My hands are a little full.” 

“One could say that, yes.” Oomimi said dryly, amusement shining in his eyes at the blank look he received. “You have a way with kids.”

“Well. I did raise Akagi for the past twleve years, so I suppose I’m experienced in dealing with small children.”

“Y’know, I didn’t have to come pick you up.” Akagi snorted, stepping out from behind Oomimi. “Kita-san~”

Shinsuke just shook his head slightly at him, gently squeezing Atsumu’s hand when he pressed against his leg. The child looked up at him but didn’t say anything, letting go of Kita’s hand to grab onto his brother’s pant leg instead.

Akagi’s grin shrunk slightly as he waved at Atsumu. He looked the same as he always did. Wild untamed hair piled on and wide eyes with a permanent smile on his lips. He was dressed in a purple knitted sweater that Shinsuke recognized as Oomimi’s, and tan slacks that were his own. Sometimes Shinsuke wondered if Akagi’s fox motif should have been a crow since he spent so much time scavenging for items in his friend’s drawers. Or perhaps it fit right in with that feral gleam in his eyes after all.

“I didn’t ask you to do that. But I do appreciate it, do you have booster seats for the boys?” Shinsuke said, nodding his head at him in greeting.

“Of course! I told you I would always have your back right? Captain~”

“.... Can we get the boys home? It’s late and they’re exhausted, Osamu isn’t even twitching at all this noise.” Shinsuke sighed, glancing worriedly down at the boy. He wasn’t too hot or cool, but it was suspicious that he hadn’t woken while being picked up.

“Osamu’s just like that. He doesn’t wake up for nothin’.” Atsumu said quietly, flinching when all the eyes landed on him. He squared his shoulders and glared back, hand clutching Osamu’s pants like it was a lifeline.

“You’re tired too, Atsumu. You need your rest.” Shinsuke said softly, gently lowering his hand on Atsumu’s shoulder. He flinched again, but didn’t glare at him or pull away, just allowed himself to be led down the hall.

“If you need anything else, please call me tomorrow, until then, good night Oomimi, Moniwa-san, Kuroo-san, Kenma-san.” Shinsuke said as he passed them, slowing down enough for Akagi to skip in front of him and lead him out.

“Whose this? What are you a captain in?” Atsumu mumbled, eyes on the leather jacket Akagi was pulling on over the sweater. A bedazzled red fox glinted under the hallways lights and Shinsuke wondered vaguely where he had gone wrong with Akagi. Atsumu, on the other hand, was fascinated by it despite his eyes trying to slide shut.

“That’s Akagi Michinari, we went to highschool together. I used to be captain of the volleyball team with him, so he still calls me that sometimes.”

“Oh…” Atsumu yawned then shook his head violently, trying to stay awake.

Shinsuke debated on his strength before gently tapping Atsumu’s shoulder. When he looked up Kita offered his arm.

“Can I carry you to the car?” He asked and Atsumu shook his head before yawning and face planting against Shinsuke’s hip.

“Don’t wanna fall asleep. Can’t lose Osamu.” Atsumu insisted.

“You’ll be right here with Osamu, let me carry you. You don’t want your brother to sleep alone do you?” When Atsumu agreed Shinsuke squatted and wrapped an arm around his waist and hoisted him onto his other hip. Atsumu wrapped one arm around his brother and the other around Shinsuke’s neck with his brother’s hand. It took a moment to get his arm under Atsumu’s rear so he could support more of his weight, but he started walking again when he could.

Akagi snapped a photo when he turned around and Shinsuke stared at him. Twelve years of friendship worked against him however and Akagi just laughed quietly. Shinsuke’s own lips twitched up at the sound. It had been eight months since he’d last seen Akagi, it was nice to see him again and know he was safe.

“I knew you had to be keeping up at the gym, Mr. I don’t go to the gym.” Akagi whispered over at him and Shinsuke rolled his eyes at him.

“You asked me over two years ago recently Sugawara-san has been inviting me along with him and his husband, they both seemed surprised that I am familiar with weight training despite me telling them I used to be in volleyball. I suppose that is to be expected, I am slim after all.”

“.... You’re boring, do something exciting. Blow up a car, burn a man, kiss Suga-san.”

“I’m sure Sugawara-san wouldn’t mind, however I don’t see the purpose. Besides, I left my house thinking you got arrested and now I have two kids, I don’t think there is much more that can top this… ‘excitement,’” Shinsuke hummed, hushing Osamu when he started to stir. He didn’t seem to mind and the quiet confusion dropped off immediately into a soft snore, Atsumu seemed to be right. Osamu was just like that.

“..... You’re the worst, boss, the absolute worst.” Akagi sighed, leading them to the car. He opened the back door and took Osamu from Shinsuke, hand cradling the back of his head while he strapped him into the booster seat. Osamu didn’t mind, completely oblivious to the world as he snored quietly.

Atsumu woke a little when Shinsuke tried to put him on the other side, latching on with a tired whine.

“I know you’re very sleepy and I am very warm, but you’ll be much more comfortable in your seat next to your brother. You’ll be able to hold onto him and be safe, and you won’t have to worry about a crash because Akagi is a very good driver, at least when I’m in the car with him.” Shinsuke said, gently removing his hands and buckling him into the seat. He lifted Atsumu’s hand and placed it over Osamu’s, a smile crawling onto his face when they both immediately held on.

“Wow.” Akagi breathed, staring at Shinsuke when he lifted his gaze to him curiously. His eyes were shining for some reason and Shinsuke couldn’t help but frown at him.

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing.”

“Whenever you say that, it’s not actually nothing you’re just thinking something weird and inappropriate and don’t want me to get onto you.”

“And yet, you manage just fine without even knowing what I was thinking.” Akagi groaned, closing the door carefully and sliding into the driver’s side. “Let's get you home.”


	2. Chapter 2

Getting the boys out of the car and into the house was easy enough. The exhaustion and stress of the day had turned both of them into pliable putty that flopped even as Akagi and Shinsuke carried them into the house. Shinsuke didn’t bother to put them in separate beds, the last thing they needed to do was wake up with no idea where they were  _ and _ without each other.

The clock on the alarm clock was blinking out a steady 4:58 so Shinsuke threw out any idea of getting to lay down himself. If he slept in then he would throw off his schedule even more than having the boys would do. He was usually up at 5 and ready to work by six.

Now, however, he would have to shift all of that. He wasn’t sure what time the boys would sleep till and considering the night before he didn’t want to wake them up after so much stress and so little sleep. He could always call in Sugawara earlier, he wouldn’t mind especially if he explained the reason. If he did all his cleaning early, then the rest of the day would stay on schedule, atleast until he managed to fit his routine around the boys as well.

Akagi flitted around the living room while Shinsuke started some rice, watching him bound through the drawers and coo about new kitchen ware. He only lasted twenty minutes before getting too bored and declaring he was going back to Oomimi’s house. Shinsuke didn’t bother to ask for his pants back.

Instead he started on his daily routine. He’d need to move a little faster to make sure he wouldn’t get too behind, but as long as he didn’t focus on the time it wouldn’t cause too much disruption. Perhaps Akagi was right, he did need a little excitement. His grandmother always said whenever Shinsuke got too attached to a routine he wasn’t able to break it even for emergencies. Highschool memories were enough to prove that true, so a little variance wouldn’t hurt.

He started on the dishes before making his way through the rest of the house, cleaning as he went. Diving through his cupboards took longer than he thought, but he managed to put everything Osamu was allergic too in one cabinet, above the fridge where the boys couldn’t reach. It would be annoying but Shinsuke wasn’t going to risk anything with them. He did manage to write out an easy grocery list though, with the knowledge of just what was in his fridge and pantry. 

By the time he’d finished cleaning and a shower 6:49 was on the clock and he barely remembered he was supposed to call in Koushi to open the store for him. He dialed the number with a yawn.

Instantly someone picked up, someone most definitely not Sugawara.

“H-hewwo?”

“Oikawa-san. Is Sugawara-san there?”

“Why are you the only one who doesn’t think I’m Tobio?” Oikawa sighed, a long aggravated groan that did nothing to answer Shinsuke’s question.

“Because Tobio-kun does not answer the phone with ‘hewo’ he speaks properly.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you mister country boy.”

“We’re both from the country Oikawa-san.”

“.... Angel-kun! Your boyfriends on the phone!” Oikawa’s voice grew dim as he shouted, probably up the stairs. The Matsukawa’s must have been watching the boys for the night, Shinsuke knew Oikawa was reckless but not enough to risk waking up Tadashi and Tobio and incurring Sugawara’s wrath.

“Then get off the phone babe.” Sugawara’s voice laughed as he picked up the phone.

“Guys stop doing that, someones going to believe you one day and I am not dealing with it.” Sawamura’s voice drifted from the background, drowned out by the mutual snickering of both Oikawa and Sugawara.

“Hello?” Sugawara hummed.

“Hello Sugawara-san, I was going to ask for a favor but if you’re busy I won’t bother you.”

“Huh? No, Tooru-kun and Hajime-kun just came over last night, I don’t have any plans. Is everything alright? I don’t think you’ve ever called me this early. Did Mrs. Saru come in to yell about flowers again? I keep saying we need to drop her as a customer.”

“No no, nothing like that-”

“Can I be a customer?” Oikawa’s voice came from the back, only to be followed by a shout as Shinsuke assumed he was smacked by his boyfriend.

“Seriously, are you alright Kita?”

“I am fine, however I was wondering if you would be able to open the store yourself today and run it for a while.”

“.... Kita are you dying?” Sugawara’s voice was instantly filled with concern and Kita could hear the rustle of keys as if Sugawara was ready to fly out the front door at that moment.

“No, Sugawara-san please calm yourself. I was called this morning to be an emergency foster parent, I don’t want to wake the boys or call a babysitter on their first day. Akagi is back in town so I can call him if you need any assistance.”

“You had a  _ baby _ ?” 

Sometimes Shinsuke wondered how he was friends with these people. He ignored the niggling feeling of absolute fondness that curled in his chest at the shouts in the background of the phone. Oikawa was probably trying to steal the phone while Sawamura and Iwaizumi were dying in the background. Sugawara definitely knew how to draw a crowd.

“Technically… I had two.”

“Kita Shinsuke, are you fucking me right now?”

Shinsuke had to take a moment and debate responding to that, that would probably end up causing Oikawa to react. The best course of action would be to wait for him to calm down.

“Sorry, I meant fucking with me, sorry… Seriously Kita? I thought your license expired.”

“It didn’t. According to the paperwork it doesn’t expire until next month. But I may have to renew unless I decide to adopt these two, but I don’t know them well enough for that decision just yet.”

“Kita, you’re like… a worse mother than Oikawa.” Sugawara sighed, ignoring his best friend's squawking. “I mean that in the most loving way possible. Seriously, you have this innate need to nurture and grow people, and harass them into taking care of themselves or you’ll do it for them. It’s admirable, but you need to face the facts, you’re already in love with those two aren’t you?”

“I haven’t met the other brother, he was asleep.” Shinsuke said, carefully boxing up the memory of Atsumu’s daring personality despite his situation and grey eyes that challenged the world. He was not attached, you couldn’t get attached after two hours of knowing someone you didn’t really know them. Sugawara was just being weird again,

“Uh Huh. Okay. Well, I don’t mind, though I’m sure Daichi is upset about-”

“If you even make a sex joke I am breaking up with you.” Sawamura’s voice yelled, punctuated with Sugawara’s laughter.

“I was going to say picking up the boys from Hiro and Issei alone, but okay my love. Anyways, don’t worry about a thing, take care of your boys hon, and call if you need anything. Tooru doesn’t have work today and he might get fat if he’s just sitting at home all day eating Daichi’s cooking.”

“Angel-chan! You take that back!”

Shinsuke didn’t even bother to say his goodbyes when Sugawara started teasing back. Sugawara was reliable, he would get everything done just like he said he would.

  
  


Exhaustion pulled at Shinsuke’s eyes, making them droop slightly as he laid back on his couch. He’d been awake longer than he was used too and got more done than usual, but his brain was still firing off ready for a new day at the shop.

The buzzing of the heater started up after a moment, making Shinsuke glance outside long enough to see the white snow starting to fall. In a distant, more awake part of his mind he wondered if Akagi had known the snow was going to fall and that’s why he’d come home. It was an Inarizaki tradition. Hot pot on the first snowfall.

He didn’t even realize he’d fallen asleep until he heard a crash on the floor and a scared shout.

He leaped from the couch, eyes wide as he hurried into the kitchen. Both boys were crouched down and staring at him, a bowl of spilled milk and Akagi’s over sugared cereal on the ground. The bowl was shattered and leaking across the floor even as the two twins realized they’d been caught in the mess.

Atsumu didn’t hesitate to grab his brother, yanking him through the shards until he was safely behind him. They clung to each other, Osamu’s eyes filled with fear and anxiety and Atsumu just as terrified but refusing to break down.

Shinsuke grabbed the rag off of the oven, crouching down so he could stem the flow of milk before it seeped under the fridge.

“Are you two alright?” He asked softly, not wanting to stare them down but not wanting to risk an infected wound either. Osamu’s hands tightened on his brother’s shoulders and he pinched his mouth shut so Shinsuke turned to Atsumu.

“Atsumu, can you check your brothers feet and make sure he didn’t get cut? You can wipe his feet off with this.” A job to do would help distract them atleast, Shinsuke thought as he offered Atsumu a different cloth. Atsumu watched Shinsuke for a moment before gingerly taking the cloth like it might bite him. He didn’t turn all the way around, but knelt to wipe his brothers feet off.

Osamu didn’t make a single sound, fingers fisted in his shirt now that he couldn’t hold onto his brother. He pulled it up, almost making it to his mouth before his eyes shot over to Shinsuke and he dropped the shirt with reddening cheeks.

Shinsuke mopped up the milk, trying to think of the best way to approach the situation. He didn’t want to startle them but he wasn’t really sure what they’d been doing in the first place that had caused the bowl to fall. It was probably climbing on the counters and that was definitely dangerous but harsh words and punishment would only be detrimental in the long run.

“Atsumu, Osamu, are you two hungry?” He asked as he managed to get most of the milk up. He grabbed another cloth and finished the rest, carefully dumping the cereal in the trash with the bowl. Normally he might have tried to save the bowl, super glue it back together or offer it to Akagi to fix as one of his many projects but with two children it seemed more dangerous than it was worth.

“Aren’t you going to yell at us, K… Kita-San?” Atsumu asked, tongue stuttering over the name.

“No, I think the scare from it hitting the floor is more than enough to discourage you from climbing on the counters again.” Shinsuke said smoothly, Atsumu’s cheeks turning red as he glanced down. So Shinsuke was right, he had been on the counter.

“If you don’t feel comfortable waking me up to eat, please put your bowl on the other counter so you don’t accidentally break another one. I also have a small ladder in the pantry, I will show you later.” Shinsuke stood, pointing to the table in the other room.

“If you two are still hungry you can sit in there while I make breakfast. If you’re not then you can sit on the couch while I eat breakfast and we can talk afterwards.”

“What’s… for… for breakfast.” Osamu’s voice was so soft Shinsuke thought he’d imagined it until his head moved around his brother’s to look up at him with wide trusting eyes. Osamu didn’t seem to have the same type of ferocity as his brother, perhaps he just hadn’t had need of it or maybe it’d been beaten out of him. Even still, he could just be quieter than his brother and the protective nature would make itself known later. There were many variables Shinsuke was going to have to keep track of.

“Well… how hungry are you?”

“.....” The twins glanced at each other, silently communicating and Shinsuke didn’t have much choice but to wait patiently until Atsumu turned around and said.

“Really hungry.”

“Okay.” He straightened more and pointed to the tatami table in the other room. “Go ahead and go take a seat, cushions are in the cupboard beside the window, bottom shelf.”

He grabbed two bowls as he heard the pattering of their feet and the cushions being dragged across the floor. He could hear them whispering as he filled the bowls with rice, it would keep them distracted while he made the rest of the meal.

“He seems nice.” Osamu mumbled, his voice pitched just a little deeper than his brother and breathier like he struggled to get enough air for his words.

“Everyone seems nice at first,” Atsumu countered, the same harshness Shinsuke had noticed rising up again.

“Yeah but you said he was nice to you last night. He said he wouldn’t make you leave me.”

“Remember Yoshimoto-san? He said the same thing and then he tried to take you away…. Don’t worry about anything. I’ll take care of you okay?”

Atsumu closed his mouth as Shinsuke stepped into the room and put the bowls in front of them. They were both on the same side of the table but Shinsuke could see they’d pulled a mat out for him as well. Osamu was pouting over at his brother but brightened at the food being put in front of him.

“Go ahead and eat, I’m going to finish cooking the rest of the meal and I’ll bring it over when I’m done.” Shinsuke said softly, laying chopsticks down for both of them. They called out their thanks, clasping their hands together before grabbing their chopsticks and starting to eat.

Shinsuke watched them for a moment before making his way back to the kitchen and starting the miso soup and salmon.

He sat across from the boys when he finished, laying the new dishes in front of them and watching with amusement as they dug in. He started eating at a much more reasonable pace but still managed to finish as Osamu ate the last of the fish.

“Help me carry these in?” Shinsuke asked, watching them leap up and try and grab as many bowls as possible. “Ah, Atsumu if you can’t carry them all it’s alright.”

“I got it- I don’t got it.” Atsumu amended when his plate slid right back onto the table.

Shinsuke lifted it up with a gentle huff of air, amusement filling him at the look of determination on both of the boys’ faces. They marched their way into the kitchen, appearing far more serious than the situation needed. Shinsuke scooped up the rest of the dishes and followed, placing the items one by one into the sink.

He glanced over at the pattering of feet, watching Osamu rush back into the other room to try and stuff the mats back in the cupboard. Atsumu went after him a moment later, giggling softly as his brother was knocked back down as they slid free. Together they managed to strong arm the soft cushions into the closet and shut the door.

“Okay boys,” Shinsuke called, not wanting to ruin their fun and brotherly teasing. “I want to give you a quick tour of the house. If that’s alright?” 

Both boys nodded, curiosity overriding their brains. They hurried over to him, eyes wide and curious as he led through the house.

“I’m sure Atsumu already told you, Osamu, but my name is Kita Shinsuke. You can call me Kita or Shinsuke-san. You’re both going to be staying here with me awhile.” Shinsuke explained as they walked. “I don’t know how long but you’ll be safe here. If you have any questions you can ask them, for now you two are in the same room. I thought you might be more comfortable like that but if you want separate bedrooms I have another room for you.”

It wasn’t the largest house, considering it was attached to his shop but it was well designed. The kitchen was in the middle of the house, the living room sat on it’s right and the dining room on it’s left. Through the living room was the hallway, one bedroom on either side and a bathroom at the end of the hall. The hallway turned, leading to a seperate one that revealed an office and another bedroom that Shinsuke pointed out as his own.

“If you need anything, please feel free to come and get me. I don’t mind if it’s about nightmares or food or anything else, I won’t be upset with you.” He said softly, the doubt in their eyes clear. He would have to prove himself, but that was fine. He didn’t mind taking the extra time to gain their trust and show them it was okay.

He led them through the hall, to the last door at the back of the house. He opened it, stepping back to let the boys look curiously at the small yard. It wasn’t large in the least, to the right a garden was dead as winter’s snow covered it and the rest was grass. On all sides the other businesses rose up around them, caging them but also providing an impassable protection from anyone sneaking in.

“It snowed!” Osamu cheered, bending down to smack his hands on the white powder. He giggled, smacking it again and turning to wipe it on his brother. Atsumu immediately yelled, grabbing a handful and dropping it on his brother. Quick as a flash Osamu returned the favor. They both squealed as the snow started to melt and seep into their hair and drip onto the floor. They turned to sneak back inside, freezing when they remembered Shinsuke.

“Come back in now, to the bathroom, I have towels.” Shinsuke said, trying to look less harsh at the twin’s fearful looks his way. “Dry yourselves off, we don’t want colds.”

Atsumu and Osamu waited until he handed the towels to them before they relaxed, scrubbing at their wet hair. They stopped halfway through and turned to each other, seeming to communicate in a way only twins could. Then they grabbed each other's towels and tried to rub the towels into each other’s heads to the best of their ability. 

Shinsuke watched them torture each other, reminded of the games Akagi used to play on Ojiro-

He tossed that memory out, gently knocking on the door as the two were left breathless by their squabble. They didn’t look at him with wariness, more curiosity now. It wasn’t a quick fix, Shinsuke knew that. He knew he’d be helping them heal for the foreseeable future but still, even just a moment as small as it would be in the long run. That small glint in their eyes of cheeriness and curiosity that took over the pain and fear, it reminded Shinsuke why he had first gotten involved with foster care. Why he’d decided to follow his grandmother’s way in life all those years ago.

“We have a couple more things to go over so I want to know what you want to do.” Shinsuke started, moving to sit on his heels and look at them. He motioned for them to brush their hair back down but they just scrubbed at them harder with the towel. A soft laugh escaped him as he waved them over, Atsumu moving first.

“Do you mind if I touch your hair?” Shinsuke asked softly, jolting when Atsumu bowed his back easily to put his head in front of Shinsuke’s hand. Deftly, he brushed the hair down into a more reasonable style before turning and doing the same to Osamu. Osamu wiggled and giggled, reaching up to pat and stroke his own hair with wonder when Shinsuke finished. It made him wonder if they’d ever had someone pet their hair.

“Okay. Atsumu, Osamu.” He waited until he had both of their attention. “I have three things I want to get done today. One, I need to go grocery shopping and I’m sure you two have favorite snacks you would prefer instead of mine. Two, you two need some more clothes and pajamas and toys. I don’t have a lot in my house because I prefer working or reading over playing video games, but I don’t mind buying you something to entertain yourselves with if you do not want to join me or play games with me. Three, I would like to stop by my job before the end of the day to make sure everything is okay. I would like you to come with me so you can see what I do and so you feel comfortable with me.”

The two boys looked at each other, fingers playing with the towels in their hands. They perked up at the sound of toys, looking excited but when Shinsuke had mentioned work something had brightened in Osamu’s eyes. It was different but Shinsuke had long learned that some children were fascinated by the strangest things.

“Can we see where you work?” Osamu finally asked, ignoring Atsumu’s grumpy sigh.

“I wanted to get snacks.” Atsumu huffed but turned his head away when Shinsuke looked at him. He didn’t say anything else so Shinsuke focused on the positive, Osamu was curious and asking questions.

“Of course. If you’re not too tired after that, then we can go grocery shopping next?” Shinsuke offered, watching Osamu’s and Atsumu’s heads both tilt to the left with a question. He took the towels back from them and hung them up to dry before continuing.

“Why would we be tired? Is your work really far away Kita-san?”

“No, it’s actually really close by. But sometimes you can get people tired.”

“People tired.” Atsumu tested out the word, lips twisted in a confused scowl. “People… tired…”

“Like… When you are around people and they’re very loud and you don’t want to be around more people. Or when you’ve met a bunch of new people and you just want to be by yourself for a bit.”

“Oh!” Osamu grabbed his brother and shook him. “Atsumu gets people-tired! Sometimes when people are really loud and he’s trying to concentrate it makes him really grumpy and he says it hurts. Then he doesn’t want to leave his room for hours.”

“Osamu!” Atsumu whined, cheeks red as he slapped his brother’s arm. His brother recoiled, rubbing the spot but he didn’t complain despite the red mark.

“Atsumu, don’t hit your brother.” Shinsuke said, keeping his voice level. “It’s not necessary to resort to violence when you have your words. You wouldn’t want him to hit you, so don’t start it, okay?” 

“... Yes Kita-san.”

“Thank you. Now. Why don’t we go see where I work, and if you both feel up to it, we can do the next item on the list okay?” Shinsuke asked, waiting for them to nod, Atsumu’s a little more forced, then moved to his feet and offered a hand. Atsumu grabbed it and then his brother’s.

Shinsuke moved down the hall, pausing at their bedroom when Atsumu stopped moving. He turned to see Osamu was hesitating in front of the open door, hand extended out to stay clasped with Atsumu’s. Shinsuke glanced in the room, noting the foxes Akagi had left were both on Osamu’s bed, tucked under the blanket.

“Would you like to take one with you?” Shinsuke asked softly, noting Osamu’s jump and nervous dance before he nodded and let go of his brother to grab one. He pulled the larger one out, light yellow with oversized ears, and tucked it under his arm before hurrying back to Shinsuke and taking his brother’s hand.

Shinsuke led the way back into the living room, making his way to the door almost hidden by a potted plant. He moved it out of the way carefully and opened the door, revealing a medium office.

The twins made noises of confusion, taking in the pictures taped around the wall and paperwork piled next to the work computer. Ribbons and fake flowers covered the desk along with a pack of different cards with different writing styles. Fabric was laid over the chair, four different types with a hand written note laying over it.

“This is my office, technically, though you’ll find Ennoshita in here a lot. I’ll introduce you later. The other one in the house is really just a place for Akagi to play in when he visits.” Shinsuke explained, nodding when Atsumu let go of his hand to poke a flower curiously and look up at him. Atsumu snagged the gardenia before laying it on the fox’s head. Both twins snickered at the way it was wedged between the ears.

“You work in your home?” Atsumu said, snooping around the desk without touching anything else.

“Yes, but not just in here.” Shinsuke explained, stepping around the desk to the door opposite the one they entered. “This is where my shop is.”

He opened the door, taking a step around a mannequin and letting the two boys step out and stare at the bright shop.

“Atsumu, Osamu. This is a wedding boutique, it’s where I work.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a brief description of a mild panic attack, it doesn't go into detail but the panic attack does happen

The twin's gazes dashed around the room, eyes wide and soaking up everything around them. Their grips on each other's hands tightened for a moment before they relaxed, Osamu tilting his head up to stare at Shinsuke.

"What..." He chewed his lip and pulled the fox closer, nearly dislodging the flower on its head. "What's a... weddin' bo-... boutique?"

"Well, it's a shop that sells things for weddings. Both western and Japanese in my case." Shinsuke said softly, stepping out a little further to show them the shop better. "Most shops only sell dresses but we do a lot more here. That is where our tailor makes sure the clothes fit, you can make a wedding registry- a list of gifts you want- over there. We have a card station so you can choose your designs for invitations."

Shinsuke pointed each station out in the wide room, explaining it to the rapt attention of Osamu and the bored looking Atsumu. He led them in, around a set of tuxedos and male kimonos, careful not to move too fast and overwhelm them.

Sugawara was already in one of the mirrored corners, carefully arranging some fake flowers that came from between the mirrors. He glanced up and saw them in the reflection, eyes widening and Shinsuke watched him try to stifle a squeal. Instead he ducked back down, shifting the ottoman chairs instead to curve around the mirror and disappearing into one of the changing rooms.

On the opposite corner, Akaashi was already sitting down, a large ink brush in his hand that was gliding down the page, either a commission or a wedding order. Behind him a large wall of different card stock hid him from the gaze of the average window shopper. He didn't glance up at the sound of Shinsuke talking, probably already zoned out until either his phone alarm rang or someone touched him.

In between the two stations, the wall curved in leading to a decent sized office with two desks. Books of dress designs and venues littered three bookshelves and a wall of ribbons and flower designs rose up at the back. Many customers liked to use their own wedding planner, but Shinsuke had to admit having his own on site made it a lot easier when dealing with customers who tried to do it all without help.

On the other wall there was another mirrored corner, with a shelf coming out of the wall with all of Sugawara and Shirofuku's materials for tailoring. Under the window to the right was the register, currently covered in multiple packages labeled Castle Bakery. Against the wall to the left, wedding dresses and kimonos were posed on mannequins and bridesmaid outfits were on racks.

In the final corner was where Azumane designed and sewed together specialty outfits. Shinsuke could just barely see him hunched over the tail end of a pale peach dress, carefully slipping a needle in and out of beads and the dress. Fabric was already pulled out and laying across his table and two other mannequins.

"You do all of this?" Osamu said when they finished the tour, eyeing the Castle Bakery boxes as Shinsuke came to a stop beside the register.

"I manage it all, and help Azumane design and create dresses. Each place has someone who takes care of it though. So it makes it a lot easier." Shinsuke explained, cracking open one of the boxes that had his name on it. Two muffins sat in the middle with a note attached to the top of the box followed by the ingredient list for each box.

_ Shinji made these this morning. Don't worry, we watched him. DON'T LET TORU HAVE THE ONES WITH PEANUT BUTTER~ Takahiro _

Shinsuke chuckled softly, carefully lifting the two chocolate chip muffins out and offering them to the boys.

"These are fresh from the bakery across the street, are you still hungry or would you like to wait till later?" Predictably, both boys reached for them. Atsumu held his for a minute, frowning at it and reached out to stop Osamu from shoving it in his mouth. His eyes glanced up to Shinsuke then back down, repeating a few more times before Shinsuke intervened.

"Is something wrong Atsumu?"

"What's... in these?" He said hesitantly, eyes down on the ground to keep from looking disrespectful. "I-I just mean, Osamu's allergic to lotsa stuff and he... I..." Atsumu's mouth moved inaudibly, trying to keep calm and Shinsuke wondered how many times Osamu had been fed things he was allergic to by unwitting or uncaring foster parents.

"It's alright. I read Osamu's allergy list last night and this doesn't have anything dangerous to him in it. Would you like to read the list yourself?" Shinsuke asked, peeling the list off for his box and offering it to Atsumu when he nervously nodded. In a fashion that would make allergic-to-peanuts-Oikawa proud, Osamu inhaled the muffin despite his brother's protests, grinning when Atsumu passed the list back agreeing that it was safe to eat.

Atsumu peeled the wrapper off his muffin, carefully nibbling until Osamu reached for it. Atsumu responded by shoving the entire thing in his mouth, chewing and swallowing faster than Shinsuke thought was possible for a child and nearly giving him a heart attack. Atsumu didn't look any worse for wear though, sticking his tongue out at Osamu a moment later.

"Do you want to be introduced to the others who are here then? We can drop off their muffins and then head to the store." Shinsuke asked a moment later, lifting up the boxes and checking the names. Shirofuku's was nearly three times as heavy as the others and Shinsuke had to admit it was amusing that the bakery knew his tailor so well.

The twins looked around, Atsumu looking bored again but he still didn't say anything as his brother nodded. Osamu paused after a moment though, glancing at his brother and then Shinsuke.

"Are you sure it's not a bother?" He asked, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean… You said it was okay… But… I just… I mean… I’m sorry, I’m sorry… please… We can do whatever you want Kita-san… I-I… I don’t… I don’t mean to be rude… ”

Shinsuke crouched next to him, eyes softening with worry. The six year old looked seconds from a complete meltdown, jumping when his brother’s hand clamped down on his wrist. Osamu’s breath quickened and his eyes rolled with fear.

“Osamu?” Atsumu asked, confusion clear on his face and quickly buried beneath panic as Osamu yanked out of his grip. His hands curled into his chest like he was trying to hide them from sight.

“Osamu, just breathe.” Shinsuke said softly, carefully waving Atsumu a few steps away. “It’s alright, you haven’t done anything wrong. You’re not in trouble I promise…. Breathe in for seven seconds…. Now breathe out for eight, you can do it… There you go, great job Osamu, now again…”

Shinsuke talked him through it, relaxing as the boy’s breathing started to slow. His head was still pulled in like he was waiting to be struck, but his hands finally relaxed from their curled position. He glanced up at Shinsuke, then back at the ground, tears slowly leaking out of his eyes.

“Osa-” Atsumu said, startling when his brother jumped again. He reached out for him, but Osamu just shied away, fingers starting to clench again. 

Atsumu’s face twisted with panic, his own breath coming out harsher as he started to slip into a panicked state as well. Shinsuke had to assume Atsumu had never seen his brother have an anxiety attack before and was terrified at the idea that  _ he _ was scaring his brother. Shinsuke was going to have to cut that off as soon as possible or else neither of the two would be okay for hours.

“Atsumu?” Shinsuke murmured softly, turning his gaze to Atsumu’s scared one. “Your brother had an anxiety attack, sometimes when it happens people don’t want to be touched. He’ll be just fine though, I promise. Why don’t we head back to the house, okay?”

“N-no!” Osamu shouted, then flinched. His hands instinctively moving to cover his face, he shook slightly as he lowered them again, not looking at either of them. “Y-you… wanted us to m-meet them. I’m sorry…. I won’t… I won’t be a bother… I’m sorry.”

“Osamu.” Shinsuke said slowly, watching Osamu cling to the stuffed animal. “You are not a bother, I promise. You’re not in trouble either. Remember when I said sometimes you get tired of people and you need to rest? We can rest now Osamu, it isn’t a bother at all. I promise, your feelings are more important than meeting a few more people.”

Osamu buried his face into the fox’s fur, a harsh breath racking through him. Shinsuke wondered how often he teetered on the edge of panic and worry, how often his brain would work too fast and drive his anxiety up until his small body couldn’t contain it anymore. And how often had he been punished for it.

“It’s alright now, we can go calm down for a bit and have some lunch when you’re ready.”

“What…” Osamu’s voice was breathy, nervous and embarrassed, “What about… shopping? Y-You wanted to…”

“We can still go shopping later if you’d like, but you being okay is more important Osamu.” Shinsuke smiled softly when Osamu’s eyes peeked over the top of the fox’s head. “Let’s head back inside and we can talk after we nap for a bit, alright? The store won’t go anywhere. You and Atsumu can think about all the toys you want to look at and new clothes you want to try on.”

Shinsuke stood back up, waving his hand at Atsumu to motion him to start heading back towards the door to the house. Shinsuke barely caught a glimpse of a worried looking Koushi before he was slipping away again before he could accidentally startle either of the children.

Osamu lagged behind, eyes still darting around the rooms like he was waiting for his punishment. Even Atsumu was quiet as he walked, constantly looking back to make sure Osamu was okay and trying to slow down to match his pace though Osamu only stepped away from him, clinging onto the small stuffed fox in his arms.

“Atsumu,” Shinsuke tried to call him but was ignored. There was a flash of annoyance before he let it go, after all Atsumu didn’t really understand what was going on. He just saw his brother suffering.

Shinsuke took a few more steps until they were beside the male mannequins again, opening the door and leading the two to the next door. He opened it, waiting for them to pass him before he stepped into his house.

“Osamu,” Shinsuke called this time, watching the flinch before Osamu’s head lifted to try and meet his gaze unsteadily. “Do you want to stay with Atsumu or would you like to lay down for a bit?”

There was a pause, one that seemed to immediately set Atsumu on edge, before Osamu reached out and shakily took his brother’s hand. The nod was small, barely noticeable but enough for Atsumu to relax slightly. Their hands squeezed each other, trying to pull any sense of comfort from one another.

“Alright…” Shinsuke hesitated, not quite sure what would be the next step. On one hand, he didn’t want Osamu to feel pressured to stay in his room but on the other Kita didn’t want him to get worse-

A tug on his shirt caught his attention and he looked down, blinking softly at Atsumu’s doe eyes staring up at him. Atsumu tugged again, pulling Shinsuke down to his level and leaning up to whisper in his ear.

“Do you have any movies?” He whispered, glancing at his brother as Osamu shifted from foot to foot. “When Osamu has nightmares they help…. Maybe… they can help now too?”

“That’s a great idea, thank you Atsumu,” Shinsuke said softly, watching Osamu perk up slightly, “you two can go sit on the couch while I see what movies I have.”

It took a moment, Osamu still looking hesitant before Atsumu tugged him along. Worried eyes glanced back at him more than once but Shinsuke just nodded until Osamu was comfortably on the couch, leaning his weight on his brother.

Shinsuke turned and made his way to the back office, pulling open the first drawer on his left to look at all the random things Akagi had left at his house. Shinsuke himself wasn’t a big movie watcher, he owned three and he wasn’t sure any of them qualified as kid-friendly as they were all documentaries. However, Akagi considered that a travesty and had a habit of leaving movies and books around that he wanted Shinsuke to look at.

After nearly two minutes of pulling things out, Shinsuke’s hand finally landed on a case. He pulled it out, eyes catching on Studio Ghibli. The front of the case itself was a cute, gentle animation of a small human fish child. He turned it over, reading the back before deciding it would work. He didn’t know much about Studio Ghibli but he did know Oikawa and Sawamura had both bought movies out of the collection for their own children.

Shinsuke returned to the living room, not surprised to see Osamu still curled around his fox, his brother leaning as close to him as he could. They both glanced up as he entered and he dipped his head slightly in greeting, moving to the tv and pressing the on button before moving to turn on the dusty DVD player Akagi had wired in for him. He placed the movie in and sat back, watching it flicker to life.

He grabbed for the remote, barely remembering how to use it. It was different from his old one, instead of a long strip it curved almost in two, with two sticks that Shinsuke was certain moved. For longer than he wanted to admit, he stared blankly at the device until he heard Atsumu’s voice.

“Are… you okay Kita-san?” He asked slowly, shrinking away slightly when Shinsuke turned to look at him. Shinsuke held up the remote in explanation.

“Remember when I told you that I was very boring? That includes not knowing how to use one of these. Do you know?” Shinsuke asked, offering the remote over.

Atsumu took it, looking it over with Osamu before they both grabbed it and pressed one of the sticks. The screen clicked as it moved over from a blue background to a picture of a DVD, Shinsuke watched with interest as they hit another button. The movie went black for a second before fading into an animated scene. They pressed another and music started to filter through the room quietly.

Shinsuke waved for them to keep the remote, moving to grab the blanket on the couch and laying it over Atsumu’s lap who quickly moved it to cover him and his brother.

“I’m going to be over here and make lunch in a few, let me know if you need anything okay boys?” Shinsuke said softly, only getting minute nods as they stared into the screen already enraptured. He watched them for a moment longer, taking in the hiccups in Osamu’s breathing as he tried not to cry and Atsumu’s aggressive fussing as he tucked the blanket as tightly around his brother as he could.

Quietly, Shinsuke moved to the back office again. He grabbed a notebook and a pen, hesitating before snagging a few more movies from the pile he had uncovered. The boys would be bored over the next few days while Shinsuke got them signed up for the closest school and they waited for the weekend to end, this would help stave off some boredom atleast.

He sat on the armchair when he returned, only nodding his head when they looked up at him. Osamu’s cheeks were shining with a few tears that had fallen but his eyes were dry and his breathing was even. A wave of relief washed over Shinsuke as he pulled his gaze away from the two and started to scratch out the characters for their names on the notebook.

He looked at Osamu’s name, glancing up at the child for a moment before starting to write.

Osamu was sweet, naturally inquisitive and playful. He enjoyed his comfort items more than Atsumu seemed to but he wasn’t completely helpless. However, he was a lot more naturally shy than his brother and prefered the background position his brother allowed him to play. He struggled with letting his own emotions be known and feared being punished for them. 

He was going to need a much softer hand to nurture him into someone who could stand up for himself. While being attached to his brother wasn’t an issue right now, they would have to be monitored to make sure it didn’t shift into unhealthy codependency. Though Shinsuke wasn’t particularly worried about that right now, Atsumu was protective but Osamu had made it clear he was able to say what he wanted.

Atsumu though, was a little tougher to write about. He hadn’t shown much of his own nature beyond being protective of his brother. He seemed to keep it locked away, eyes only on his brother and any threat that could arise. He was fierce, ready to fight the world for his right to stand up. If anyone was going to get unhealthily attached, Shinsuke would put his bets on Atsumu.

Atsumu hadn’t shown many interests outside of his brother and it worried Shinsuke, even with the snow he hadn’t cared until Osamu had commented on it. He didn’t care much about the shop, unlike Osamu who had been endlessly fascinated by everything. Even now, watching the show, Atsumu was only half watching. His head turned to eye Shinsuke and their gaze met for a moment before he was looking away again.

Hopefully with the start of school on Monday, Atsumu would be able to branch out for himself. Shinsuke wanted to help him break out of the cycle of being Osamu’s unspoken parent and guardian. It would never go completely away, but Atsumu had endless potential he could unlock if he looked into what he wanted instead of how to protect Osamu. Shinsuke wanted to watch both of them flourish, not just Osamu

Shinsuke scratched out the last character, humming softly to the song coming from the tv as he looked over his notes. They weren’t complete, he couldn’t know the boys in one day but it was a step towards finding them a good home. The more information he knew about what the twins needed and how they acted, the better he could assess potential parents and let them know exactly what the boys needed in their life.

Shinsuke looked up again, taking in Osamu’s completely enraptured look on the tv and Atsumu’s fidgeting feet. Atsumu’s gaze wasn’t on the tv again, instead it was caught on the clock above it. Each click was copied by a flick of Atsumu’s fingers against the bottom of the blanket. His eyes roved over the room again, picking through items before landing on the tv as Osamu gasped at whatever was on the screen.

Shinsuke paused as the doorbell rang, watching the boys both look at him immediately. A mix of apprehension and curiosity was scrawled across their face as they watched Shinsuke put the notebook down and make his way to the door.

Shinsuke knew Oomimi had said he would be visiting later with the boys’ files, but he expected a text before anything. No one else would be dropping by without calling first.

A quick peek through the window made Shinsuke sigh as he recognized the wild hair. He pulled the door open and looked up at the grinning face of Akagi with disappointment.

“Hey sexy, where are the little ones?” Akagi winked, before holding up a packet of papers in explanation. “ ‘Mimi got called in to a meeting so I said I would bring this over to you because I want to meet my new nephews.”

“Akagi, I didn’t adopt them.” Shinsuke said slowly as he opened the door, glancing at the twin faces peeking over the back of the couch curiously.

“Doesn’t matter, they’re my new nephews!” He grinned, wiggling his arm and the plastic bag rustled on his elbow. “I brought presents. Heya! Didja tell your brother about me?”

Both boys had perked up at the word present but they shrank down again when they realized they were being looked at. Atsumu looked at his brother before shaking his head.

“I didn’t…. Fox-kun.” He said, wincing slightly as Akagi’s name escaped him. Akagi burst into laughter, stepping into the house to let Shinsuke close the door.

“Close enough, Atsumu-kun. Just call me Michinari or Ojisan. Osamu, I’m Michinari, I helped bring you guys home last night and brought over that little Ruppell’s fox that you’re holding.” Akagi greeted, smiling brightly at him even as Osamu shrank down. Osamu’s gray eyes looked to the fox before slowly pulling it free of the blanket and holding it out for Akagi.

“Oh no, honey, it’s yours. I brought them over  _ for _ you. They’re yours forever.” Akagi explained, nodding when Osamu’s eyes widened in disbelief. Osamu immediately turned and stuffed it back between himself and his brother, eyes shining as he looked at his brother.

Atsumu looked a little hesitant but he was quickly relaxing again as Akagi moved to steal Shinsuke’s chair. The ex-libero pulled open his bag, pulling out objects of different sizes. He waved a case at Shinsuke with a bright smile.

“I’m glad you got the playstation to work, I was starting to think I bought you that for nothing.”

“That’s what it’s called? And I thought you bought it so you could play it when you stayed over.” Shinsuke said dryly, taking the case he was being offered with a frown. Ark: Survival Evolved, it said.

“This looks inappropriate for children.” Shinsuke could see the twins looking at the game with excitement obvious in their eyes. His heart softened at the hopeful looks, had they ever even had video games before? They probably had to deal with other kids using it against them too.

“I mean, you capture and train dinosaurs, you can change the settings to creative so they don’t have to actually kill anyone but it’s fine, really. I also got Minecraft and Spyro which are super family friendly, but I mean, It’s dinosaurs Shinsuke-kun. Just play with them?” Akagi asked, eyes fluttering slightly as he looked up at Shinsuke. Shinsuke pressed his lips together as he thought it over before he turned to look at the boys.

Osamu was nearly on top of his brother’s back as they leaned closer, eyes on Shinsuke. Hope and excitement glittered in them as the end credits of the movie played, they both gave identical smiles, seeming to shake with excitement. Osamu’s cheeks were still a little wet and he wasn’t getting as close as Atsumu was but he was branching out, even if it was nonverbally. It was a start that Shinsuke couldn’t ignore.

“Oh… Oh alright, if I can sit with you then they can play this game. But if it’s too violent then you can only play the other two, okay boys?” Shinsuke asked and all three of them let out a cheer. Shinsuke could have sworn Akagi was the loudest of the bunch, his own mind feeling incredibly lucky to have the three of them here.

“I’m going to start lunch then, can I trust you two to keep Akagi from breaking anything?” Shinsuke asked, fighting back a smile at Akagi’s offended shout.

The twins burst into giggles, nodding and sitting back down so they could pat the couch and offer up the Playstation remote. Akagi whined, grumbling as he made his way over with the three games held out for the boys to look at. Atsumu waited until Osamu had grabbed one to look at before taking the other two for himself, they leaned together, looking them over with hushed whispers and soft gasps of awe.

Akagi turned, giving Shinsuke a soft smile.

“I’ll keep an eye on them, go on. They’ll still be here when you get back, you dad.” Akagi teased, turning back to Osamu’s bubbly questions.

Shinsuke gave them one last look, trying to push down the affection rising up. He was a foster parent, he wasn’t looking to adopt right now. Especially not when he was alone and would be raising them by himself.

He paused in the kitchen, listening to Akagi’s dramatic storytelling and sighed. Scratch that, he wouldn’t be raising them alone, he had a family it was just a little different.


	4. Chapter 4

“Lunch is ready, Akagi stop bullying the boys.” Shinsuke called, more than well aware that Akagi was the one suffering as he accidentally blew up his own building on minecraft. The twins burst into giggles at Akagi’s loud complaint, eagerly putting down the controllers to run and pull the cushions out.

“Wow, you already got your own little helpers, that’s adorable.” Akagi cooed, finally moving from the couch to Shinsuke’s side only to find himself with his hands full of food.

“Go set the table… little helper.” Shinsuke said, trying not to snicker as Akagi groaned and made his way towards the dining room. Shinsuke shifted to watch the boys run back for the last cushion, dragging it together and nearly taking each other out in their haste to set it up for Akagi.

Lunch was a quieter affair, Shinsuke listening patiently as Osamu and Atsumu tried to explain the process of hitting things to make smaller blocks to hit other things with. He didn’t quite understand it, but the concept of building things seemed easy enough for Shinsuke to keep them engaged.

“And then the green things go BOOM.” Osamu explained as he finished cleaning up the rest of his plate, crumbs slipping from his cheek. “And Akagi-san’s glass house broke in so many pieces… But it was okay because then he made it even bigger and better! With dogs!”

“There were so many dogs.” Atsumu agreed, taking his brother's plate and his and piling them together. “Akagi-san said they have cats too, I hope so, cats are really pretty. Can we play after we get back?”

“Get back?” Akagi asked, frowning as he looked at Shinsuke but Atsumu answered anyway.

“We don’t have any clothes except these ones, Kita-san said we needed to go get some more…especially Osamu, he’s so stinky.” Atsumu’s nose scrunched up dramatically even as Osamu gasped and shoved him.

“You’re stinky! You don’t even like baths, you’re gross.” Osamu huffed, foot shifted to kick his brother.

Shinsuke opened his mouth to tell him to knock it off when Atsumu kicked back, the two devolving into jabbing each other with their heels. He sighed, looking at Akagi for assistance. After all, he didn’t want them to think they couldn’t ever wrestle or squabble but he didn’t want them to accidentally hurt each other either.

“They’re just teasing each other, they’re not angry, just make sure it doesn’t go too far.” Akagi laughed softly at Shinsuke’s worry, reaching over with a napkin to gently clean Osamu’s face.

Two sets of eyes stared at the hand with fascination as Akagi gently brushed off the crumbs. Akagi smiled at both of them, an oversized toothy grin that put both of the boys at ease a moment later.

“So, does that mean that we’re not having our traditional hotpot this year then?” Akagi asked Shinsuke as he sat back in his seat, trying to wipe Shinsuke’s face too only to get swatted.

“That depends on Atsumu and Osamu, they’re the ones who have to deal with you for even longer.” Shinsuke said, smacking the hand away that rose to touch his face again. He turned to the boys, humming at their obvious curiosity as he reached for his glass.

“Once a year our old group, meaning myself, Akagi, Ojiro Aran and Oomimi Ren, the man who called me to pick you up, get together on the first snowfall to make hotpot and see each other after a long year. But you’re part of the group too now, so if you are tired or don’t want to meet someone else then we don’t have too.” Shinsuke explained softly, hiding a smile behind his drink as the boys turned to each other. 

They whispered quietly for a few minutes between themselves, eyes glancing between the two and each other. Finally Atsumu turned and patted the table with his hands to get their attention.

“We like Akagi-san! And food is really good! Can we do it Kita-san?” Atsumu chirped, eyes bright with hope and Shinsuke knew that even if he vehemently didn’t want to do it that one look at that would change his mind immediately.

“Of course, Atsumu…. Let’s clear up these plates and then we can head to the store and we can grab groceries for dinner while we’re out.” The words barely left Shinsuke’s mouth and Atsumu was on his feet, dutifully trudging his dishes to the sink and returning for more while Osamu started dragging the cushions away.

“Wow… If we get an army of these guys we could take over the world.” Akagi stage whispered to Shinsuke.

“Go clean up the couch.” Was all Shinsuke said in return, taking his own plate and Akagi’s to the sink. He flipped on the hot water and started to scrub as Atsumu brought the remaining plates and to him.

Atsumu hesitated for a moment, raising up and down on his toes before finally looking up at Shinsuke.

“Can I help… sir?”

Shinsuke blinked in surprise, glancing over at Akagi wrestling Osamu for the cushion and back down. Still, it took him another heartbeat to realize Atsumu was trying to branch out without his brother by his side and that he was trying to trust Shinsuke.

“Of course, Atsumu, there’s no need to call me sir. You know where the pantry is? Behind the door I have a step stool, you can bring it out here.”

Atsumu turned on his heel and made his way over, unaware of Shinsuke’s eye carefully watching him as he struggled against the tall handle. Atsumu eyed the step stool, a two step ladder that was about the height of his waist, before shrugging and wrapping his arms around it as much as he could to lift it off the ground. He grunted as he stumbled back but gained his footing before Shinsuke could move, turning and starting to waddle his way back to Shinsuke’s side.

Shinsuke had to bite back a laugh, well aware Atsumu’s feelings would be hurt, as Atsumu’s face twisted with complete seriousness. It was adorable, how serious he was taking his job of moving the step-stool. Finally he came to a stop with a clatter and he scrambled to the top to smile brightly at Shinsuke.

“You want to dry then?” Shinsuke asked, offering a drying towel when Atsumu nodded. Atsumu took it, threading his fingers over it for a moment before settling in and glaring at the sink as Shinsuke started to scrub at the dishes.

Shinsuke and Atsumu both sighed as the dishes finally lay in the cupboards, glancing at each other. Atsumu snorted, childlike glee lighting his face up as Shinsuke inclined his head at him in thanks. 

He really was starting to branch out already and Shinsuke was proud despite it only being the first day. It was going to be a long journey, but Shinsuke knew they’d get where they needed to be eventually. They just had to keep fighting.

Atsumu’s smile started to fade again as he realized his brother wasn’t nearby, looking around worriedly for him. Neither of the other boys were in the immediate vicinity and panic was crawling its way to clench around Atsumu’s heart as he realized it. His eyes shot around the room before finally he turned to Shinsuke, mouth open just an inch as he tried to shove the words out.

“It’s alright Atsumu, Akagi wouldn’t hurt Osamu…. Akagi? Osamu?” Shinsuke called while holding out a hand for Atsumu to hold onto as he climbed down the stairs, a little wobbly from anxiety.

“In the bathroom captain-san!” Akagi’s voice drifted down the hall and Atsumu’s head tilted up sharply, staring Shinsuke down while quietly pleading for him to be allowed to go after them.

“Go on, go see what they’re doing.” Shinsuke said softly, watching Atsumu nod at him before he was taking off without a second thought. Shinsuke hummed, picking up the step stool with one hand and returning it to the pantry.

He made his way down the hall, listening to a voice murmur before a giggle rose up. Atsumu seemed to have calmed down with the return of his brother, that was good atleast. Though Shinsuke worried about what in the heavens Akagi could be doing.

“Since when do you have hair gel in my cupboards?” Shinsuke was forced to ask, watching Akagi splatter the stuff onto his hands before burying said hands in Osamu’s hair and fluffing it up to match his own wild style.

“Since I was here uh… Last August? Did you not notice?” Akagi said shamelessly, running his fingers through Osamu’s hair as the boy laughed in delight. He seemed to love having his hair played with and Shinsuke felt the strangest urge to pull a Takahiro-san and kiss his forehead. He shook his head to clear it, nodding his head at Atsumu when he looked up as if to ask if what they were doing was okay.

“I do not use the mirror medicine cabinet, so no I did not.” Shinsuke said simply, unable to completely squash the urge as he reached out and held out his hand to Atsumu.

Atsumu blinked like a confused cat before leaning his head forward until Shinsuke could gently stroke through it. Atsumu snorted, a blinding grin on his face as Shinsuke pet his hair. He tilted his head up, pushing the hand to the back of his head so he could show off his smile.

The line of bruises down his cheek were still an appalling hint to the abuse that he had gone through and Shinsuke had to bite back the anger that boiled in his stomach. Anger at the other man would do nothing to help the boys now and that was Shinsuke’s job. Getting the boys to where they needed to be emotionally and mentally, without the clawing terror of abandonment and abuse.

Atsumu seemed to pick up on his mood though, reaching up to put his hand over the string of bruises. His lips slipped downwards, twisting as his eyes dropped to stare at the bathroom wall instead of Shinsuke.

“It’s pretty bad looking huh?” He mumbled, trying to smile slightly at Shinsuke. “It doesn't hurt though! Really! I’ve been through worse.”

Shinsuke cradled the back of his head, stroking it gently before moving to his knees so he could look Atsumu directly in the eye. He needed Atsumu to understand what he was saying, even if he didn’t want to listen to it. It needed to be said so Atsumu and Osamu would know that Shinsuke was serious.

“Atsumu,” He started, keeping the slow motions of his hand steady, and watching Osamu pause to watch. “You hurt at all, is bad. Even if you’ve been through worse, you shouldn’t be hurting because someone was upset. If anyone ever hurts you like this, or tries to hit you anywhere else or force you into something against what you want, even if it doesn’t hurt as bad as it could, I want you to tell me okay? Nobody is ever going to hurt you again, I’m going to make sure of that.”

Atsumu’s eyes glistened with tears as he gasped quietly, turning away to rub at his eyes. When he turned back, there was a hint of that ferocity that Shinsuke had noticed the night before. It glimmered under his tears, like a feral cat terrified and crying for safety but too scared to trust anyone.

“You’re… You’re not the first one to tell me that, Kita-san. It’s okay, I can take it. When you leave the next one will just be mean and that’s okay. I know I can take it.” Atsumu said, straightening and scrubbing the tears off of his face as they fell.

“I know you can, but you don’t have to. Because I won’t let anyone hurt you. You don’t have to trust me now, that’s okay, we have time to prove it. We have all the time in the world.” Shinsuke said softly, watching Atsumu start to relax again with the steady movements in his hair. Osamu peeked over Atsumu’s shoulder, hair a ridiculous mess, and stared at Shinsuke worriedly before Atsumu nodded and pressed his head harder into Shinsuke’s hand.

“No one’s going to hurt you, either of you.” Shinsuke promised, petting his hair and letting Atsumu hide behind his bangs.

He nearly jumped out of his skin a moment later though, when Atsumu stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his neck in the tightest hug Shinsuke had ever gotten. Shinsuke relaxed as Atsumu started to pull away, gently wrapping himself around him back.

Atsumu sighed in relief, his head buried just under Shinsuke’s collarbone and Shinsuke let him pretend that he couldn’t feel the hot tears on his neck. Gently, he rubbed his back and looked at Osamu hopping from foot to foot. Shinsuke opened one of his arms and bit back a grunt as Osamu plowed into him, holding on just as tightly as his brother.

Shinsuke sighed, pressing his nose against the hardening strands of Osamu’s hair. Sugawara had been right, he was already in love with these two.

Black eyes met his over their heads as Akagi leaned against the sink with an amused expression. Apparently he wasn’t nearly as subtle as he thought he was, not that Shinsuke had particularly been trying.

“Okay, we still need to get to the store and we’re running out of time. You two know where your shoes are?” Shinsuke asked as he pulled away, waiting until they nodded in agreement. “Go put your shoes on, I’ll be there in a moment.”

He moved to his feet as the boys took each other’s hands and started to make their way to their room again. He glanced at Akagi before grabbing a towel to wipe off the hair gel that had transferred to his shirt.

“So…” Akagi started, not at all phased by Shinsuke’s half glare telling him not to push. “I don’t see why you’re fighting it, you’ve raised kids before, you absolutely love raising all your friends’ kids. Why don’t you just adopt them yourself?”

“I’ve had them for a single day Akagi. That’s not enough time to decide to intertwine the rest of our lives together.” Shinsuke said simply, ignoring the emotions bubbling under the surface of his calm facade. “Besides, I have my shop that we’re going to expand. Children stopped being a part of the plan two years ago when the last one left my care. I couldn’t give them the hope of a real family and then rip it away when they realize I’m busy a lot.”

“You work in your house, Kita. They can work with you like Shinji and Shigeru do for Castle Bakery. They’d probably love learning calligraphy or how to sew or even just playing with ribbons. Besides, they’ll be at school most of the day when you’re busiest. Everyone else manages to do just fine with their kids.”

“Everyone else has partners to assist them, I live on my own in case you hadn’t noticed in your many invasions. It’s unfair to both of them when they could go to a full family.” Shinsuke said, ignoring the bitter want that dragged at his chest. He wanted to raise the boys, wanted to watch them grow and learn, wanted to help guide them and know they were loved. He couldn’t make that commitment though… It wouldn’t be fair to them, they wouldn’t get the attention they needed and he could never put his own selfish desires over their emotional stability.

“First of all, Shinsuke,” Akagi started, looking uncharacteristically serious, “you and your workers? You are a family. You, me and ‘Mimi? We’re all family. We’re as full and as real as you can get. Second of all, if its being single that's the problem, I might know somebody who definitely would marry you if you asked.”

All at once, the mature aura dissipated as Akagi giggled and grinned ferally. Shinsuke tossed the dirty towel at him, ignoring the evil cackle.

“I see him once a year, he’s not going to marry me and I’m not even going to  _ think _ about marrying him. We haven’t even been proper friends since high school, he probably thinks I’m weird now. After all, he went on to be a pro and I’m… dealing with you.” Shinsuke said, pursing his lips as he made his way out of the bathroom. He didn’t want to think about Akagi’s statement anymore than he wanted to think about keeping the boys.

He was not going to adopt them, he was only going to keep them safe until he found a permanent home. He was not going to try and see if Ara- if  _ he _ was interested in him. Shinsuke had decided his future already and he wasn’t going to let anyone else change it no matter how adorable the two twins looked playing with each other’s shoes while waiting for Shinsuke and Akagi to join them.

“Are you two ready?” Shinsuke asked as he grabbed his keys and slipped into his shoes beside them. They both beamed at him, not quite the master of holding grudges yet. He glanced back at Akagi straightening up the blanket on the couch and the little Ruppel’s fox.

“Akagi? Do you want to come with?” Shinsuke called, not missing the flinch as Akagi waited to be called out on his words in the bathroom. As if he would continue that conversation here in front of the boys.

“I dunno, can I? Atsumu, Osamu?” Akagi asked instead, looking at the two who immediately nodded.

“Of course Akag… Oji-san!” Osamu blurted, patting his head. “You know so many cool things!”

Akagi’s heart melted visibly as he patted the fox’s head and made his way over. He was shoving on his shoes as Shinsuke stepped out, one hand holding each of the boys’. Akagi scrambled after them, locking the door behind him as he stepped up beside Atsumu.

“So, there’s a shopping center around the corner. It has more things than just our little specialized street.” Shinsuke explained as they started to make their way down the street. Osamu looked up at him confused, gently squeezing Shinsuke’s hand until he got his attention.

“What’s… specialized?”

“Oh, it’s like… You see that shop over there? That’s Castle Bakery, and next to it is a tattoo shop. On the other side is a florist shop. Each shop is specific to one thing they do, like baking or flowers. Mine’s a little different because it has so many things but still the focus is weddings. Other, bigger stores, do a lot of things like the toy store might also have sports games or some stores have furniture and electronics… Video games I mean.” Shinsuke explained, watching Osamu nod along while Atsumu’s own gaze seemed to glaze over at the words. Then Atsumu shifted and stared at the bright teal and white bakery with a bright golden crown that lay over the C.

“Bakery? Like, more muffins?” Atsumu blurted, staring at the bakery with wide eyes. Akagi let out a loud laugh, grinning brightly and waving at the tall man who was sweeping the front door of the store.

“Yeah, that’s Castle Bakery. They have the  _ best _ muffins, though their owner insists their profiteroles are even better.” Akagi explained. “They work with Kita, with catering for weddings so I’m sure you’re going to have a lot of their muffins and treats.”

Atsumu gasped, hand subconsciously gripping Shinsuke’s hand tighter as he bounced slightly. Shinsuke shook his head fondly when Akagi bounced back, happily chirping about the different types of pastries they carried. Osamu was currently okay with watching the streets pass so Shinsuke just kept walking until they finally made it to the corner.

The giant box store rose up across the street, gleaming brightly with easily visible toys packed high. Atsumu and Osamu were nearly vibrating as they got closer and Shinsuke let go of their hands as they made it to the doors.

They turned to him immediately, worry evident in their eyes. Shinsuke just smiled softly, ignoring Akagi’s gasp, and pet both of their heads. Osamu burst into giggles as his own hair crunched from the wax.

“Okay boys, we’re going to stop here first, then grab some clothes and then groceries okay? So we can’t get too much unless we want to walk home each trip and that’s going to take a lot of time and if we want something really good for hotpot we should get home early so it can cook while you play with your new toys okay?” Shinsuke explained, watching them nod slowly as they tried to think it over. Atsumu slowly reached over to take Osamu’s hand as he thought.

“So… how much can we spend?” Atsumu asked, frowning as he tried his best to think everything over.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to see what it comes out to. Just stick close to me or Akagi and we’ll tell you if something is too expensive okay? Don’t worry about that though, let us worry about that. You and Osamu just find things you like a lot okay?” Shinsuke said.

Osamu nodded quickly and turned to drag his brother inside before realizing he didn’t ask Shinsuke if they could go. Shinsuke waved them on, walking quickly behind them and tilting his head to Akagi.

“I’ll watch Osamu, you keep an eye on Atsumu and hopefully we won’t lose them.” Shinsuke muttered and Akagi flashed a grin before-

“I lost Atsumu.”

Shinsuke sighed, turning and pointing to them still holding hands as they ducked under a low hanging stuffed animal and disappeared down an aisle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a little shorter than the others but its been a very long week lol and I only have time to write once a week which is why I update on Saturdays lol. They're going shopping so hopefully there won't be angst, but if you have any requests or ideas please let me know!  
> I'm trying to write more during the week so feel free to ask for drabbles or short one shots. I'm on Tumblr as Miracleboiz and Twitter as Watacchishinji, talk to me!


	5. Chapter 5

“Shinsuke-san, what’s that?” Osamu called as he stared up at the tall rows of toys. Both his and Atsumu’s free hands were pointing at a large glass container of Lego creations, including a series of what looked like strange airplanes.

“Legos, you build with them, but I don’t know what they built.” Shinsuke said honestly, tilting his head when Akagi let out a laugh.

“It’s from Star Wars, those are fighter planes and that's BB-8…. I’m calling movie night tomorrow.” Akagi sighed, shaking his head in exaggerated suffering at the three blank looks he received. He reached up and grabbed the box above the glass container, smiling down at the twins as he tucked it under his arm.

“I’ll get this for you guys, I think you’ll enjoy it… Did you see anything else you like?”

Atsumu immediately turned and pointed up to the top shelf at a giant purple creature, eyes bright with excitement. He turned to look at Shinsuke, teeth burying themselves in his lip when Shinsuke hesitated for a moment at the price of 21,000 yen. His hand started to drop before Shinsuke stepped up beside him and grabbed the creature. After all, when was the last time Shinsuke had actually bought something he didn’t absolutely need, Shinsuke could definitely afford it.

“Kitty!” Atsumu gasped, letting go of Osamu’s hand to wrap his arms as best as he could around the creature. “Oh! It has a name…Eifie… It’s a.. a … poke… pokemon? Oh! I’ve heard of these, Kenma-kun was playing it when we first met him, remember Osamu?”

“Yeah! But his Pokemon was a turtle… this is a cat…”

“There’s different types of Pokemon, Osamu, weren’t you listening to him talk?” Atsumu frowned at his brother who paused to think it over before shaking his head with a grin.

“Nope! I was nappin’!” Osamu said proudly, turning and running down the aisle as he caught sight of something else.

Casting a meaningful glance at Akagi, Shinsuke turned to follow after Osamu. The boy led him through the aisles, peering at different objects before rounding a corner and returning with a small box. He looked down at it for a moment before holding it up to Shinsuke to reveal a small microscope on the front.

“My sensei… at my old school, she had one of these and it was a lot of fun… It’s not that expensive and look! It comes with bugs!” Osamu bounced on his heels, trying to point out the prepared slides. 

It was a very scientific device and if Osamu was actually interested in science it could help nurture his will to learn… Of course it could just be that children were naturally inquisitive and Osamu wouldn’t care about this in the next week or so, however denying Osamu something simply because Shinsuke had decided that Osamu wouldn’t like it long term wasn’t something Shinsuke could do. It wasn’t nearly as expensive as Atsumu’s pokemon and Osamu was really excited about the bugs…

“It does indeed come with bugs, I’ll hold onto this until we’re ready to go… Do you like coloring?” Shinsuke asked, leaning down slightly to point out the coloring book wall and Osamu immediately set off with a delighting shout.

Shinsuke followed after him, looking behind him to see Atsumu tugging Akagi away from a slime machine.

“I gotta keep you out of trouble Oji-san! Shinsuke-san said so!” Atsumu said, scolding Akagi when he whined until Akagi finally followed after him into the toy car section.

By the time they met up again, Shinsuke was both ready to never look at another slime machine again and aware his wallet was going to be considerably lighter. Both of the boys had arms full of track sets for their new car collection (that Shinsuke was certain Akagi was eyeing with envy) and way too many boxes of slime.

Shinsuke passed the large purple creature to Atsumu as they scanned it, unable to stop his own smile when Atsumu held it as close as possible with the largest grin he’d given yet. He turned to his brother, happily chattering at him about his new ‘Kitty’, while his brother was doing his best to open the Pokemon card container without spilling any.

A pile of coloring books was next, though Shinsuke noticed the ones Osamu had picked out were the ‘adult’ coloring books while Atsumu had grabbed a few of the more cartoon ones.

“Osamu are you sure these are the ones you want? They don’t have as many fun shapes or characters.” Shinsuke said, flipping through but Osamu just looked up from his picking and smiled brightly.

“Yes sir! There’s a lot of pretty colors on the front see! I can make it super pretty… Do… I know it says adult… but… it’s just coloring…” Osamu said, hesitation starting to grow on his face before Shinsuke laid the book down on the counter again.

“It’s fine if it’s what you want, Osamu, I promise. I just wanted to make sure you were happy with it.” Shinsuke soothed over his worry, reaching out to pet down the mess that was Osamu’s hair. He really was going to have to remove that hair wax or he was going to wake up to Akagi putting it in  _ his _ hair.

Osamu smiled, smaller than his brother’s but just as sweet. Shinsuke’s heart panged as he forcibly reminded himself that this wasn’t long term, just until they got adopted. They were only his to watch and guide for a little longer.

“Your sons are very cute… is the little one's face okay?” The clerk asked as she bagged the last of the items, a large package of ‘Bendaroos’. She smiled softly at Osamu who inclined his head in return.

“He’s fine, just a little accident yesterday- Atsumu don’t go outside yet, you can’t see past…” Shinsuke called as he swiped his card and tucked it away, sighing as Atsumu crashed plushie first into a pole. He fell back onto the ground and blinked blankly back at them, trying to figure out what happened.

“Akagi, please keep the pokemon off the ground and help him up. Osamu, stop laughing at his brother, your cards are falling out.” Shinsuke ordered, frowning at the cackling Osamu. Osamu yelped as he realized he had already lost a few cards and scrambled to pick them up only to lose more.

“I… have failed at becoming a Pokemon Master.” Osamu said, staring at the mess for a second before his head shot up to meet Shinsuke’s gaze. For a second Osamu’s chest stopped moving and Shinsuke knew he was about to panic again.

Shinsuke crouched down, carefully scooping up the cards into his hands.

“Pick them up one by one, Osamu, don’t move too fast or you’ll spill more… Just like that…” Shinsuke murmured, smiling softly at him as Osamu kneeled to the floor and slowly reached out with a shaky hand. “Don’t worry about the mess, we can clean it up.”

Shinsuke let him grab the rest, moving closer to catch any cards that slipped out of the container before Osamu was able to close it completely. He reached out and caught his cheek carefully, using his thumb to wipe away the tears that had slipped out.

“No need to cry, Osamu, you’re safe now little one.” Shinsuke said softly, moving back to his feet and turning to the clerk.

“I’m sorry, please forgive us for taking up your time.” Shinsuke said, bowing slightly before grabbing the bags and pulling them onto his arms. He turned to Osamu, offering him a hand and humming when it was immediately taken.

Outside the shop Akagi had caught Atsumu and was holding him on his hip, the pokemon nearly knocking both of them over. They were laughing loudly, almost enough to attract the attention of nearby people but any who looked over didn’t seem to mind the child. Akagi spun, dramatically pretending to nearly fall until Atsumu called for him to stand up straight.

“That was very dangerous! What if Kitty got hurt?” Atsumu scolded Akagi, shoving the purple pokemon into Akagi’s face while Akagi whined. “Tell her you're sorry Oji-san.”

“Yes yes, I am very sorry, very sorry Kitty-chan.” Akagi said, bowing and pretending to almost drop Atsumu again. Atsumu squealed with delight, giggling as they straightened back up and Akagi apologized before bowing again.

Shinsuke looked down at Osamu who was staring at the ground, fingers wrapped around Shinsuke’s hand. He tugged him a few steps away from the door before crouching in front of him, heart aching at the pitiful look on Osamu’s face.

“Osamu?” He asked softly, waiting until he looked up. “You know you’re not in trouble right? It’s okay to be upset, but sometimes you have to take a breath and calm down like we did to pick up your cards…”

Shinsuke watched him for a moment, the eyes that darted around and nervous fingers tapping out a quiet rhythm. He looked over at Atsumu’s bright laughter and then back down at the ground and Shinsuke could only guess he was jealous of Atsumu’s happiness while he was feeling so down. Shinsuke would have to squash that now.

“Osamu… What’s your favorite thing to do?”

Osamu didn’t respond for a moment, obviously thinking it over as his fingers scratched over the metal case of the pokemon cards. He licked his lips, glancing over at his brother again for a moment before turning back to Shinsuke and dropping his head to mumble something.

“I’m sorry, could you speak a little louder?”

“... Cooking… but… the others said it’s a woman’s job…” Osamu admitted softly and Shinsuke fought off an annoyed scowl.

“Well, why don’t you help me choose some stuff for hotpot? Then we can make the broth at home and prepare some dough for dumplings?” Shinsuke offered, the ache in his chest easing at Osamu’s widening eyes.

“Yes sir! Yes, please Shinsuke-san, please!” Osamu said, gasping and trying to bow his back before Shinsuke caught him with a laugh.

“There’s no need for that, little one. Trust me, as long as you’re happy so am I.” Shinsuke said softly, reaching up to fluff through Osamu’s hair. Both of their laughs bubbled out and Shinsuke could feel Akagi’s gaze on him before Atsumu was running at them.

Atsumu tripped, Kitty taking all three of them down in one hit, though it did nothing to stop Osamu’s laughter. Atsumu let out a yell, before he was laughing too and grinning at his brother. He wiggled off of his pokemon, so Shinsuke could grab it as he sat up, and reached out to tug his brother to his feet.

“Why’re you laughin’?” Atsumu asked, only to dissolve into his own giggling mess as he caught sight of the leaf stuck to Osamu’s gelled up hair.

“Why’re  _ you _ laughin’?” Osamu shot back, no malicious intent on his face as he stuck out his tongue. Shinsuke reached out and tugged the leaf off of Osamu’s hair, showing it to him only for it to send both boys into another set of giggles.

He really had no idea his life would turn out like this. 

Sitting on the sidewalk outside of a store, a giant purple Pokemon on his lap. Watching two young boys laugh without a care or a worry, feeling his own heart bubble and threaten to burst with warmth and affection. He shifted Kitty more on his lap, carefully cleaning her off as he watched the two laugh.

He barely shifted when Akagi’s footsteps sounded next to him, simply holding the now dirt free Kitty up for him to take. Then he turned back to the boys, hesitant to interrupt their giggling as they poked at Osamu’s dirty hair, but Atsumu noticed him watching and shook his brother. They both turned to watch him, still breathing hard from laughter.

They just needed a safe home.

Shinsuke didn’t want to let them go.

“Are you two ready to go get clothes then? Or would you like to give Kitty another dirt bath?” Shinsuke said pointedly and the twins squeaked before Atsumu was moving to pat Kitty in Akagi’s arms.

“I’m sorry Kitty, sorry Shinsuke-san, I didn’t mean to knock you over… Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, but can you two help me up?” Shinsuke asked, offering his hands to them and instantly he had two hands on each of his as the boys tried their hardest to pull him up. He moved with them, letting them pull him forward a few steps until they were certain he was okay to stand on his own.

“Well now that I’m dirty…” Shinsuke said, wiping off the dirt that had stuck to his clothes before doing the same to the twins. “There we go. We’re all going to need a bath tonight… Lets get you some clothes and food and we can head home.”

As a dress designer and a boutique owner, Shinsuke thought himself well aware of the fashion trends and he did his best to encourage both of his boys into choosing something moderately fashionable. He expected it would be difficult, especially after grabbing a quick bag of groceries and the boys were raring to get home and play with their toys.

He did not expect to be walking out of the store with four bags of striped t-shirts and polkadot pants that Atsumu  _ insisted _ made the best match. He also didn’t expect Osamu to see the brightest pinks and yellow and stare at them like a starving man staring at a banquet dinner. He had managed to wrangle in a few randomized shirts, jeans, and shorts. However he was still mortally wounded after watching Atsumu come out of the changing room in a neon green plaid button up, blue polka-dot shorts, striped socks, and sandals on.

Atsumu was wearing the outfit as they left, proudly showing it off to Akagi who oohed and ahhed in all the right places. Osamu had decided to leave his clothes in the bags and was instead doing his best to remove a butterfly hair clip from it’s package.

Shinsuke held out his hand, silent after the horror he’d been subject to, and took the case. He carefully pulled the hair clip free before slipping it onto the highest spike on Osamu’s head. Osamu’s blinding grin made the shopping trip almost worth it. The hand that entangled with his definitely did, however.

Shinsuke looked down at Osamu swinging their hands together, amused as the little one skipped over a crack. He hopped again, giggling when Shinsuke extended his leg to step further and get a little bit ahead. He jumped further, trying to drag Shinsuke forward but Shinsuke just extended his leg even further.

“Noooo, we’re gonna lose.” Osamu said as Akagi and Atsumu started walking faster to stay in front of them. Osamu moved to dash forward, only to be pulled back as Shinsuke moved to stand still instead.

Osamu let out a gasp as his plan was ruined, frowning at Shinsuke before trying and again and failing. There was a burst of laughter as Shinsuke hopped twice at Osamu’s insistent cry for him to move. Shinsuke ignored Akagi’s laughter, bending down slightly.

He opened his arms to him and after a second of pouting, Osamu hugged him around his neck. Shinsuke scooped him up into his arms and straightened, repressing the urge to kiss Osamu’s forehead and see if he could make him laugh again. It wouldn’t do to get too attached. It was only the first day, he needed to be more in control.

Yet, he couldn’t help himself as he started walking faster and quickly over took Akagi, Kitty, and Atsumu walking down the street. Osamu gasped as he realized what was happening and turned to stick out his tongue behind him.

“That’s not fair! Kitty’s fat!” Atsumu yelled after them, and Akagi repeated him.

Feeling unnaturally playful, Shinsuke turned and stuck out his own tongue at Akagi. Immediately the other man gasped and pulled the bags as far up his arm as he could before bending and maneuvering Atsumu under one of his arms. Shinsuke stared for a moment, worry filling him before Atsumu let out a laugh and held onto his arm and pointed at them.

“After them Oji-san!” Atsumu called and Akagi let out a war cry, starting to jog after him.

“Shinsuke-san! He’s going to catch up to us and win.” Osamu whined, hugging Shinsuke tighter around the neck.

“No he’s not.” Shinsuke said, turning back around and shifting the groceries on his arms before taking off himself. Osamu squealed with delight, fingers buried in Shinsuke’s shirt as his foster father kept a few meters ahead of Akagi despite Akagi’s calls that they would win.

“What on earth- Shinsuke-san?” Someone called and Shinsuke waved his hand over at Castle Bakery. Issei Matsukawa watched them curiously, amused by the change in Shinsuke’s more stoic and controlled personality. He looked down as something tugged on his pant leg.

“No, Shinji, I will not run around with you in my arm like a sack of potatoes… Well, not until it’s closing time.” Issei said, looking at his son staring at the other two. Shinji raised his hand hesitantly at first before waving it at their passing neighbors.

The twins waved back, already curious about the person across the street. 

“Muffins?” Atsumu yelled at Castle Bakery, intending to ask Akagi if that was the muffin shop but forgetting to lower his voice.

“We have lotsa muffins!” Shinji yelled back, shocking his father before his son let out a soft laugh and turned to look up at him. “Can we make muffins tonight?”

“Sure sweetie… Ah, they’re gone… I wonder what on earth they were doing…” Issei said, before shrugging. It wasn’t like Tooru didn’t have the same habit of picking their kids up and running off with them so it didn’t matter in the long run, as long as they were having fun.

Shinsuke turned the corner to the small entrance to his home before turning and sticking his tongue out at Akagi with Osamu. Atsumu and Akagi groaned as they realized they’d lost, Atsumu huffed as he was lowered down to the ground before pausing and looking up at Akagi.

“That was a lot of fun, Oji-san! Let’s do it again later, please!” Atsumu said, squeaking when a hand descended on his head to ruffle it.

“Sure thing kiddo, anything for my favorite nephews.” Akagi grinned before straightening. His gaze caught on something behind Shinsuke and his lips immediately twisted into a mischievous smirk.

“Oji-san? Did someone forget to tell me something?” A voice called from behind Shinsuke. Deep and warm, familiar even after nearly a year of separation and Shinsuke’s heart seemed to speed up before slowing down again. He once knew that voice in and out, and part of him craved to know it again despite his attempts to squash it.

Shinsuke turned, carefully keeping a hand on Osamu, and couldn’t quite wipe off the still lingering smile on his face. Gentle brown eyes met his, plump lips already curved in a common small smile on the newcomers face.

“Good evening, Aran.” Shinsuke said softly, slowly blinking at the calm and warm aura Aran seemed to always exude. His heart skipped a beat when Aran’s lips twitched and he looked unbearably  _ fond _ .

“Good evening, Shinsuke.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this one comes out alright, I am terrible at shopping details lol. Thank you all so much for your kind comments, it really makes me happy and pushes me to keep writing even just the screaming ones!  
> Thank you again for all your kind support and I hope you are all safe at this time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized I wrote the years wrong aaaah. They’re all around 28-30, so they’ve been out of highschool for 10-12 years. I went back and edited the first chapter to reflect but please be aware so this chapter doesn’t cause minor confusion about Aran’s time line.

It took a second for Shinsuke to remember what he was supposed to be doing, watching earth brown eyes trace his face. He blinked as Osamu squirmed though and quickly put him on the ground, laying a hand on his shoulder. He gently rubbed his thumb in a circle as Osamu looked back up at him with confusion.

“Osamu, this is Aran-kun. He’s an old friend like Akagi. Aran. This is Osamu and his brother Atsumu, I’m fostering them for a bit.” Shinsuke explained, watching the taller man’s question flit across his face before he looked down at Osamu.

“It’s nice to meet you. Can I call you Osamu?” Aran asked, giving a polite bow. 

Osamu giggled, falling back against Shinsuke as he tried to bow and laugh at the same time. Shinsuke lifted his hand as something grabbed the back of his shirt and lowered it down onto the messy hair of Atsumu’s peering head.

“ ‘Course! How else would you be able to tell us apart?” Osamu laughed, tilting his head up to flash a blinding grin at Shinsuke. “I like him! He’s funny.”

“You can call me Atsumu… What was your name again?” Atsumu asked as his free hand darted forward to grab his brother's shirt for a moment. Shinsuke stroked his hair, trying to soothe any anxiety starting to build.

“It’s Ojiro Aran. But you can call me Aran.” He smiled softly at him, waving his fingers at Osamu who laughed obviously delighted at getting attention.

“We should get the groceries inside, Atsumu, Osamu, could you open the door?” Shinsuke asked, wiggling the keys on his finger. Atsumu jumped at being called and then nodded, quickly grabbing the keys and dashing for the door.

Osamu leapt after him, already calling for him to slow down. They crashed together at the door, squabbling over the key and Shinsuke left them to the small scuffle, turning to look at Aran.

He had his own bag tucked into the curve of his elbow, a flash of white of the local butcher’s design. His head was shaved like it had been ever since high school, though he seemed to finally be growing out the beard he’d been threatening to do for the past three years. Shinsuke couldn’t help but notice he was dressed nicely, a lot nicer than they usually did for something as casual as meeting up once a year. A brown peacoat kept out the chill of the December air, peeking under it was a pale turtleneck and finished with black slacks.

After the fashion atrocities that the twins had put him through, Shinsuke thought he was owed a few heartbeats of taking in Aran looking  _ good. _ He only got to see him once or twice a year as it was, it wasn’t like high school when-

“You’re drooling, baby cakes.” Akagi purred in his ear almost silently and Shinsuke could feel the heat on his cheeks as he turned to glare after his best friend. “Just sayin!”

“Is he harassing you again?” Aran laughed, deep and loud and Shinsuke suddenly felt seventeen again. Confused and elated at his own emotions and desperately trying to find a nearby hole to bury them in and never acknowledge again.

He took a breath, turning to face the door and take his first step. This wasn’t highschool and Shinsuke wasn’t looking for a partner, he  _ had _ a plan for his life, he was going to stick to it, he wasn’t going to get distracted by anything, he was…

His eyes met the two little ones carefully putting their shoes away and turning to hold their arms out to him.

“Groceries,” Osamu chirped.

“Please and Thank you.” Atsumu finished, both of them making grab hands at Shinsuke.

Shinsuke froze, a momentary feeling of adoration and affection flooding through him before he shoved it into the hole beside the one marked ‘Aran’. They weren’t his boys, and they wouldn’t be. Ever.

He held out his own arms, letting them snag the lighter bags before moving to take off his own shoes. He jumped as his right arm suddenly got a lot lighter, looking over to see Aran slipping the bags off with the smallest hint of a smile on his lips as he moved past Shinsuke and into the kitchen. Shinsuke watched him leave, lips curving up of their own accord.

“Drooling.” Akagi coughed, not even bothering to hide his laugh when Shinsuke purposely ignored him and made his way into the kitchen.

“I brought the meat like I do every year, are you going to make the dumplings again?” Aran asked, carefully folding the brown bag around the meat before sliding it into the fridge and laying Shinsuke’s things on the counter. Osamu and Atsumu were already fishing through for their things, happily rushing back to their own room with their bags of clothes rustling.

“I am. Osamu will be helping me as well… Michinari.” Shinsuke called, watching Akagi freeze at the sound of his first name and slowly lifting Kitty up to hide himself from Shinsuke’s ice cold gaze. “Please return Kitty to the boys and help them put their clothes away. Pants in the drawers and shirts in the closet unless they’re the slacks then hang those up too.”

“Yes Mother Dearest.” Akagi chirped and flinched when he met Shinsuke’s stony look. “Father Dearest? Guardian Dearest? I’m running out of pronouns here- I’m going, I’m going!”

Shinsuke waited until he disappeared down the hall before he let the stern line of his shoulders drop. He shook his head fondly, after nearly twelve years he still couldn’t understand Akagi’s mind. It seemed to be a wonderful place, but Shinsuke prefered his own simplistic method of saving all of his imagination for his business.

“He’s still the same as ever, wild and free.” Aran laughed softly, turning to the grocery bags and starting to pull out the different items. Shinsuke nodded, moving to lay the bag of coloring books and toys against the entertainment system to be dealt with later.

“He’s happy and thriving. What more could I want for him?” Shinsuke asked as he took his place next to Aran again. He ignored his own skin feeling warmer as Aran leaned in closer to snag some of the seasonings.

“... You do sound like his father,” Aran said, looking rather apologetic as Shinsuke blinked at him open-mouthed, “sorry, it’s just… good to see that you haven’t grown apart.”

“... I suppose we have grown closer over the years...I see him much more than the others from our year. After all, anytime he’s in town he visits.” Shinsuke said, not really thinking of the implications until he saw the guilt written clear as day on Aran’s face.

He looked down, quickly grabbing the paper bags and moving away from the awkward situation. Ever since Aran had gone pro, Shinsuke had seen him less and less as the years went on until it was only once a year for the past three. He’d been busy, Shinsuke knew that, but he still thought a phone call wouldn’t have been out of place. Then again, perhaps they hadn’t been as close of friends as Shinsuke thought and it wasn’t like Shinsuke had called either.

“Ah… Well… Perhaps that will change this year.” Aran finally said after the minutes started to stretch between them, watching Shinsuke tuck the bags into the recycling bin. “I… retired, two months ago…”

Shinsuke lowered the flour he pulled out, and turned to watch him.

The volleyball player was moving the salt and pepper shakers around, trying not to look at Shinsuke as his face started to darken with a blush. He sighed, pushing the shakers back against the wall and bending down to grab the pot from the cabinet. His eyes flashed over, looking brilliantly golden in the direct light of the kitchen as they met Shinsuke’s, then looked away again.

“Did something happen?” Shinsuke said this time, as the silence seemed to drown him.

“Shoulder injury, enough to pull me from the rest of last season. Went in for surgery and we thought it was fine, then it got worse and I’m still not recovering like they’d hoped. When the muscle healed it… twisted kinda, and now it’s pressing against my nerves so my hand randomly goes completely numb, not any good for a spiker. I’m due for a second surgery next month.” He laughed, but it wasn’t warm, it was self-mocking and harsh. “I’m already twenty eight, I only had maybe another two or three years as it was. So I figured my contract was up, why would I agree to play for another four years or so only to be benched the entire time. They don’t pay well enough for that.”

He glanced up as Shinsuke shifted, subconsciously reaching out to him. Shinsuke froze as he realized where his hand was moving and made to pull it back, but Aran reached out instead. For a moment, a heart beat that Shinsuke hated to admit lasted a lifetime, Aran’s warm hand enclosed on his own.

“Don’t look so sad. I’m a coach now, at the middle school down the road a bit. I like working with kids and this way I won’t be saying goodbye to volleyball at all, I’ll just be shifting my work a bit. Besides, it means a more set schedule for… a more set life.” Aran said softly and Shinsuke could have sworn he was missing a very important hint but at that moment there was a thunder of feet and Shinsuke pulled his hand back.

Osamu rounded the corner, hair still a brilliant mess, and gasped when he saw Shinsuke. He dove forward, grabbing onto his leg and hiding behind it as Atsumu swung into the room.

“Shinsuke-san! ‘Samu said I was stupid!” Atsumu howled when he saw where his brother was taking shelter.

“No I didn’t! I said your nickname was stupid, stupid.” Osamu chirped back, sticking out his tongue. Shinsuke sighed, tapping Osamu’s shoulder.

“Do not call your brother stupid, there’s no reason to be rude to him even if you don’t like his ideas. Just tell him that you don’t like them and if it bothers you that much then come tell me. Atsumu, no chasing your brother through the house, the floors are slippery.” Shinsuke admonished both of them, gently pressing his index finger between Osamu’s eyebrows like his grandmother used to do to him.

Just like when Shinsuke had been younger, Osamu wasn’t capable of making faces at someone and being confused at the finger at the same time. Silver eyes blinked up at Shinsuke as his tongue slowly pulled itself back in his mouth and then he looked away.

“Mocking is also rude.” Shinsuke said softly, pulling his hand away to adjust the butterfly hair pin instead.

“Everything’s rude then.” Osamu grumbled unhappily, and all three of them jumped as Aran laughed. Osamu giggled after a moment, though Shinsuke felt the way his small fingers tightened their grip on his pants.

“What is this nickname you’re talking about anyways?” Shinsuke said, drawing their attention back to himself. The last thing he wanted to worry about was Atsumu accidentally giving his brother a nickname using a curse word and using it at school.

“He called me ‘Samu!” Osamu said, pointing at his brother who groaned.

“ _ You _ called me ‘Tsumu! It’s the same nickname!” Atsumu insisted, huffing and stomping his foot on the ground.

“No it’s not! Yours is stup- bad! Your nickname is bad.” Osamu said, already sticking his tongue out again and this time Shinsuke had to suppress his own laugh. He could hear Aran’s muffled laughter behind him and suddenly wished that he wasn’t a single parent with two wild children.

Wait.

He wasn't a single parent.

These kids were already… 

He sighed and shook his head down at Osamu, poking his forehead again and this time Osamu didn’t pull his tongue back in. He simply stared up at Shinsuke with his tongue sticking out part way. It was unnecessarily adorable.

“Osamu, you both just took the first syllable of each other's names away. Why are you needing nicknames anyways?” Shinsuke asked.

“No reason.” The boys said together but first they seemed to look over at… Aran?

Shinsuke looked at both of them, eyeing the shifting from foot to foot. Osamu’s tongue was still poking out like he forgot it, so Shinsuke focused his stony glare on Atsumu instead. It hardly took any time before he broke.

“Aran-kun has a cool foreign name and we wanted one too, so ‘Samu called me ‘Tsumu and I called him ‘Samu and then he said it was stupid and ran to hide behind you like a baby!” Atsumu confessed, sticking his own tongue out as Osamu gasped and dashed around to stick his tongue out at him from Shinsuke’s other side. Aran was still trying to cover up his laughter, not even flinching when Shinsuke turned to give him a blank look.

“Alright you two, enough with the name calling. Didn’t you want to play with the… playable station?” Shinsuke reminded them, and Atsumu immediately perked up.

“Oh yeah! Can we Kita-san? Pretty please?” He gasped, clapping his hands together and fluttering his eyes dramatically at Shinsuke. Shinsuke sighed at the familiar look, wondering when Akagi had the chance to corrupt his kid.

“Of course, you know how to turn it on I presume?”

“Yep! C’mon Osamu.” Atsumu called, waving his brother over but Osamu didn’t move an inch. Instead he tugged gently on Shinsuke’s shirt and looked up at him.

“Are we going to… cook now?” He asked quietly, turning around to eye Aran for a moment as if he was going to steal Osamu’s chance to cook.

“In about two minutes when I get the rest of the ingredients down. You’ll need a stool to see the counter and help me roll the dough, so go grab it from the pantry and I’ll get what I need here okay?” Shinsuke said softly, dropping his hand down to gently scratch at the back of Osamu’s head and immediately he brightened with a loud giggle.

“Yes sir, Shinsuke-san!” He chirped, letting go of Shinsuke to run towards the pantry door.

“I forgot to ask, what happened to his hair?” Aran’s voice was suddenly a lot closer and Shinsuke forced away a shudder, purposefully ignoring how sweet his voice sounded.

“Akagi, speaking of which, Atsumu where is your Oji-san?”

“He had to take a call… Somethin’ ‘bout… Pictures of flowers.” Atsumu said, hopping closer and looking decidedly dejected. Shinsuke nodded, assuming one of Akagi’s photography clients knew he was back in town.

“What’s wrong Atsumu?” Shinsuke said when Atsumu’s expression didn’t change even as Osamu waddled his way back into the kitchen with the stool held against his chest.

“I…” Atsumu swallowed, watching his brother make his way to Shinsuke’s side. “I don’t wanna play alone…”

Shinsuke hesitated, there wasn’t much that needed to be made as they would cook the food bit by bit in the pot and he’d promised Osamu he could help. With Atsumu there, there would be little for both of them to do. However he didn’t want to dismiss Atsumu’s feelings of loneliness, after all, he’d only had his brother for years now it was instinct for him to have someone with him.

“Can I play with you?” Aran’s voice came again from Shinsuke’s left as he stepped up beside him. “I suck at all video games, but maybe you could teach me a thing or two?”

Atsumu perked up for a moment, bouncing on his toes before he hesitated and looked to Shinsuke. When Shinsuke nodded he dashed forward to grab Aran’s shirt and tugged him into the living room.

Shinsuke watched Atsumu, waiting until the TV lit up before turning back to his new helper. Osamu was nearly vibrating on the stove beyond excited to be able to cook.

“Okay, first of all we have to wash our hands, c’mon.” Shinsuke said softly, turning on the water. He watched Osamu roll up his sleeves carefully and hold out his hand patiently for the soap.

He could hear Atsumu’s voice drifting from the living room, excitedly chatting with Aran while the controller buttons clicked. Akagi’s voice was a rumble down the hall, nearly as quiet as Aran’s hums of acknowledgement.

Shinsuke grabbed the soap bottle and poured some onto Osamu’s hands, not bothering to push away the feeling of home.

Atsumu hadn’t been sure about his newest guardian at first. He was scary looking and talked a little bit like a robot. Even with his cool two toned hair, his eyes had been like ice and Atsumu had been quietly waiting for the truth to reveal itself that Shinsuke hated him like everyone else.

Instead, he’d been greeted with a soft voice even after making a mess and offered food instead of being denied it as a punishment. Shinsuke hadn’t yelled at them once, not even when Osamu had started crying and freaking out in his own shop. Atsumu had been convinced his brother was going to be slapped and was still trying to process the idea that Shinsuke hadn’t been mad. He’d  _ helped _ them even, helped Osamu calm down and insisted they were okay.

Atsumu knew it was only the first day and he shouldn’t get attached. A lot of foster parents were great for the first week when the social workers would come by almost daily, then when they stopped dropping by the reality was revealed. Yet…

Shinsuke had taken them shopping, he’d even bought the really expensive toy Atsumu picked out just to see if he would get it. He bought them brand new clothes instead of taking them to a thrift store or insisting they could wear their old ones until they wore out. He even laughed with them and ruffled their hair like… like they were actually his kids…

Atsumu shook his head, huffing to himself as he turned back to his game. Shinsuke was a  _ foster _ parent, that meant Shinsuke was going to leave like everyone else. Even if he was nice, he was just another person who would pass them off as soon as he could.

Atsumu grunted to himself, pressing a hand against his chest as something seemed to ache. He didn’t  _ want _ to be passed off. It wasn’t fair that everyone else got parents and he… he got no one. All he had was Osamu and everyone wanted to take him away.

Osamu was a ‘sweet boy’ who everyone loved and Atsumu was the ‘evil brat’ everyone wanted to leave outside. Atsumu knew he should have let the adopters take Osamu, he wouldn’t be stuck waiting for this home to end and prepare for the next one over and over again. He’d have a house and parents and friends but Atsumu couldn’t bring himself to let go of his brother.

Atsumu wanted a home  _ with _ his brother, that was his best friend. Besides, Osamu never stood up for himself against anyone who wasn’t Atsumu, if Atsumu wasn’t there then who would protect him?

“You okay Atsumu?” Akagi’s voice said from beside him and Atsumu jumped before he recognized it. He looked up at the taller man, taking note of the genuine worry that seemed to cross his face.

“Yeah, why?” Atsumu said innocently, weakness was always exploited and he couldn’t risk upsetting them when Osamu seemed to have finally relaxed around someone.

“You just look a little sad is all,” Akagi explained, giving him a smile as guilt started to creep into Atsumu’s heart. Akagi was nice, he was really excited to be their Oji-san, but Atsumu knew better than to think he would stick around when Shinsuke got rid of them.

“I’m just hungry, lunch was forever ago.” Atsumu explained, drawling the words. Aran shifted next to him and Atsumu realized he was watching too.

He wasn’t sure how to explain it but… He didn’t like Aran. Well. He did and he didn’t. Aran seemed nice, and he hadn’t told Atsumut to shut up when he was explaining the game, and he was soft spoken. However, Shinsuke had gotten really quiet when he arrived.

Shinsuke had been laughing, something Atsumu had realized was quite the rarity from Akagi’s comments. Then Aran had appeared and Shinsuke was… softer. He looked away more instead of staring his ice-cold gaze into his heart, and his voice didn’t rise to it’s normal tone. He touched Osamu more when he got close to Aran, petting his hair and patting his shoulders, as if Osamu was going to disappear.

Something had to be wrong with Aran… Or maybe they had married before and weren’t anymore. Atsumu had lived with a woman for a few weeks a while back who had broken up with her husband when they arrived. She ignored them for the most part, but whenever he came around she suddenly started touching them more and wouldn’t speak up unless spoken too.

Atsumu shifted restlessly for a moment, listening to the sounds of his new pants on the couch, before turning to look for his brother. Osamu was crouched over the counter, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he carefully curled the dough into a ball. Flour coated his hands and shirt but Shinsuke wasn’t upset, instead he seemed amused as he wiped some off of Atsumu’s twin’s nose.

Atsumu turned back around, leaning into the couch and tucking the fox stuffed animal from earlier into his side. He watched his character craft a pickaxe and sighed as he relaxed slowly, for once not worried about being caged onto a couch by two people.

Osamu was happy. They were safe for now. That was all that mattered. No point in thinking about the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Osamu will have his own POV part soon too, I just thought it fit more with Atsumu at the moment  
> Please feel free to message me on Twitter @watacchishinji or tumblr @miracleboiz


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this is out late, I haven't felt well today. But It is the longest chapter I've posted so please forgive me! Thank you so much for your continued support

Shinsuke was just finishing the last of the dumplings as the doorbell rang. Osamu looked up with confusion, hair now dusted with flour.

“Akagi? Can you go see who that is? It’s probably Oomimi.” Shinsuke called, turning to wash his hands off in the sink and help Osamu copy him. “Aran, Atsumu can you set up the table? I already have the pot on the table.”

Aran paused the game and tossed Atsumu an easy grin, putting the controllers on the coffee table. He stood as Akagi skipped towards the front door with a cheer and led Atsumu into the kitchen.

“ ‘Mimi!” Akagi screamed and there was the sound of someone falling against the door quickly followed by a soft greeting.

Osamu and Atsumu both froze, staring at the doorway until Oomimi walked in with Akagi holding tightly to his back. Akagi waved at the staring group before tightening his hold on the suffering social worker.

“.... Here you are Atsumu.” Shinsuke said, turning away from Akagi to pass the plates of thin meat slices to him. Aran snagged the bowl of dumplings and some sauces before leading the way over to the table and starting to place them within arms reach for all of them.

A soft tugging on Shinsuke’s shirt revealed Osamu blinking up at him.

“Can I help too?” He asked, nearly bouncing when Shinsuke grabbed another sauce and offered it to him. “Thank you Shinsuke-san!”

“I’m assuming everything is going well then.” Oomimi said in his slow voice as he carefully closed the front door and made his way to the kitchen without removing his newly attached mushroom.

“They’re good kids, they’ve just had it a little rough.” Shinsuke nodded, glancing over at the two trying to get the cushions out again. Aran had stepped up behind them to grab some himself and had somehow managed to knock them all over and he was currently on the floor.

“Aran-kun died!” Atsumu called helpfully when he saw Shinsuke looking. He was quickly knocked on the ground himself as Osamu pulled a cushion off of Aran and slammed it into his brother.

“ ‘Tsumu died!” Osamu cheered, squealing as Atsumu scrambled to his feet and tackled him. They fell to the ground, laughing and shoving at each other as Aran slowly sat up.

“Dead people don’t move.” Akagi yelled from Oomimi’s back, happily clinging on with his legs as Oomimi tried to dislodge him for a moment. “Woah now! What if  _ I _ died? Then where would my new nephews be? Huh ‘Mimi? What’s wrong with you?”

Oomimi didn’t bother to respond, carefully bowing to Shinsuke in apology before lifting up his grocery bag.

“I brought the vegetables.” Oomimi murmured as Shinsuke took the bag before grabbing a knife.

Shinsuke didn’t bother to look over at the boys again as he started to slice the fresh ingredients. It was Aran looking after them after all, if he couldn’t be trusted then none of them could.

Shinsuke finally brought the last plate over as the sun was starting to drop beneath the horizon, the last remnants of the early morning snow still glowing slightly as they stopped melting. Oomimi had finally rid himself of the parasite and had put Akagi down at one end of the table before taking his usual spot beside Kita on the other end of the table. Normally Aran took the other side but today they had their guests who squeezed themselves into the space between their newly acquired Oji-san and Shinsuke-san. Aran, instead, was forced to take the position to keep Akagi from harassing Oomimi.

“Aran…. Aran… Aran just lean back a little, I can see the edge of ‘Mimi’s shirt.” Akagi stage whispered and Aran let out a long suffering sigh.

Shinsuke turned his head down to hide a smile that was trying it’s best to escape as Akagi started sliding his hand over a tired looking Aran. He checked the pot, making sure it was boiling before leaning back and turning to the twins.

“What would you like to eat first?” Shinsuke asked the boys, offering the lid to Oomimi who was quietly filling up his side with noodles and tofu to cook..

“Noodles!”

“Rice!”

“Osamu, you have a bowl of rice in front of you dear. If you boil it it will just get soggy, would you like some noodles as well?” Shinsuke asked as Osamu’s lips drooped slightly. He looked up at the offer, hesitating before slowly nodding and Shinsuke grabbed both of their shares and dropped them in.

“You can add things on top of the rice or we can pour some of the broth over it if you like,” Shinsuke hummed as Osamu perked up and started to dig a small hole into his rice, “now, if you two want to drop a few things in you can.”

Atsumu went directly for the meat dropping in the thin slices of beef with near wild abandon and Oomimi quietly pushed the meat back over to Atsumu side. The child hesitated before snagging two pieces of salmon and stared the pot down as he lowered it down over his own noodles and looked up at Oomimi for approval.

Oomimi smiled and nodded, blinking in surprise when Atsumu seemed to brighten as he fell back with a vibrant smile. He nudged Shinsuke and tilted his head curiously, before he caught a drifting piece of tofu and saved it.

“They’re still recovering, I don’t know the last time they had kind human interaction so they’re just trying to make you happy. I told you, they’re good kids, they’ve just had a hard time.” Shinsuke said softly, watching Osamu lean half over the table to lay his own few slices of beef down.

“ ‘Samu watch out-” Atsumu nearly shouted as Osamu lost his balance and his hand fell on the corner of the sauce plate, splashing it up and over the table.Osamu gasped and dropped the beef into the pot with a splash as he jerked back.

“It was my fault,” The words were out of Atsumu’s mouth before he even realized, arm protectively spread in front of his brother. If anyone was going to be punished, Atsumu thought, he was going to take it.

“Atsumu,” Shinsuke said softly, heart aching at the obvious fear in both of their eyes.

“P-please don’t hurt him, it was me.” Osamu tried to insist, pushing his brother’s arm down.

“Little one, nobody is going to be hurt,” Shinsuke said as he stood, quickly making his way to the kitchen and grabbing a few wet cloths before returning and passing one to Akagi who started to mop up the table.

Atsumu and Osamu watched him like cornered animals, their hands finding each other immediately. Even after all day, they still reverted to their terrified mindset after an accident.

It’s still only day one, Shinsuke reminded himself, we have a long time to help.

“Let me see your hand, Osamu.” Shinsuke said, moving to kneel beside him and holding out his hand for him. Slowly, ever so carefully, Osamu lifted his hand and let Shinsuke take it by his wrist.

“You’re not in trouble, Osamu. It was just an accident,” Shinsuke promised as he ran the wet cloth over his damp hand, “I promise you’re not in trouble. It’s just soy sauce, we can get some more, can’t we Aran?”

“It’s okay,” Aran agreed, moving slowly to his feet and scooping up the dish. He disappeared into the kitchen as Shinsuke finished cleaning off Osamu’s hand and checked it over.

“Well you’re not hurt, so there’s no need for tears right?” Shinsuke said slowly, not sure if the tears were from fear or relief at this point.

Osamu choked out a yes, reaching up to scrub at his eyes. He took a shuddering breath, looking down as Shinsuke finally moved away from him to check on Atsumu. Shinsuke paused for a moment wondering if he should say something before letting the matter drop as he moved to his seat again.

“You can put more in the pot,” Akagi tried to encourage him as Aran returned with the now refilled dish and placed it back in its old spot. Osamu looked up for a second before shaking his head, still shaken.

“Would you like one of us to put things in for you?” Oomimi asked softly, inclining his head slightly at Osamu’s look of confusion. “I don’t mind, I have a few more dishes over here. Do you like carrots?”

Osamu nodded slowly and Oomimi carefully scooped up a few pieces before dropping them in. They went carefully over each item, Osamu nodding or shaking his head with each item and letting Oomimi lay it into the pot to cook.

Atsumu moved to add his own before he sank back down, hand still firmly clutched in Osamu’s. Aran noticed and spoke up before Shinsuke could.

“Would you like dumplings?” He offered, holding one up with a soft smile on his face. Atsumu hesitated, glancing at Shinsuke and then Akagi before he slowly nodded and let it add to his pile.

“What about any vegetables?” Aran asked when Atsumu shook his head at each of the offered pieces. Atsumu’s lips curled in a disgusted frown and Shinsuke had to fight back the urge to laugh in case he startled the child.

“Do you not like them?” Aran asked carefully, eyes on the child when Atsumu flinched.

“I’ll… eat anything you give me…” Atsumu said slowly and the adults frowned, glancing at each other.

“Atsumu, if you really don’t like them we won’t force you to eat them. We just have to find some vegetables you  _ will _ eat, so you don’t get sick.” Aran explained but Atsumu just shrugged. Perhaps it was that explaining how vegetables worked didn’t quite matter to a six year old, or perhaps Atsumu was still trying to be as obedient as he could.

“I’ll eat them for you.” Osamu tried to whisper, shying away from the glance Akagi gave him.

“It’s okay… I’ll eat them…” Atsumu insisted, turning to Aran. “Please put them in.”

Aran paused, glancing at Shinsuke. Shinsuke could see the question in his eyes, this wasn’t Aran’s child or duty but he still had an idea. Slowly he nodded, staying quiet until he was needed. It was good for the boys to know they had more than just their parent to rely on.

“When I was little, I didn’t like vegetables either. They were so soft and mushy when my parents cooked them that it just made them gross.” Aran said as he watched Atsumu’s eyes widen slightly before they looked away again.

“They’re… they…” Atsumu started, glancing up at Shinsuke.

“You can tell us anything Atsumu, you won’t be in trouble for explaining yourself.” Shinsuke reached out to him slowly and, when Atsumu didn’t flinch away, he brushed away the hair falling into his eyes until it was parted opposite his brothers. Atsumu blinked up at him and then nodded, turning back to Aran as the hand slipped out of his hair.

“It… gets… stuck…” Atsumu explained, reaching up to touch his throat. “And it’s all soft and feels bad on my tongue… I don’t like them.”

“Have you ever eaten them raw?” Aran asked, snagging a piece of broccoli from the small dish. Atsumu blinked at him, head slowly tilting to the side like a dog’s.

“You… can eat them without cooking them? I’ve… had carrots but they just taste weird.” Atsumu asked, glancing around the table with confusion as Shinsuke started to pull his and his brother’s noodles from the pot and dish them up.

Shinsuke nodded to his question, carefully spooning Osamu’s vegetables into his rice hole. He checked on their dumplings before laying them on the side of Atsumu’s plate and turned to look at Aran who was cutting into the broccoli.

“Yep, though I can’t blame you about carrots, sometimes they’re sweet and then sometimes they’re dry so I don’t like carrots either. I do like tomatoes a lot though when they’re all chopped, or cucumbers. Potatoes too.” Aran said, slicing off the head of the broccoli and holding up just the green stick. He leaned over to offer it to Atsumu.

“Try it like this, and if you still don’t like it then we can try and find something else. I’m sure your dad- I’m sure Shinsuke wouldn’t mind. He likes cooking new things.” 

Shinsuke tried to pretend that his heart hadn’t skipped more than a few beats at the comment. He tried to silence it, reminding himself that he wasn’t actually their father, just a temporary guardian. Yet as he looked around his dinner table, with Akagi happily dunking his dumplings into the pot and covering it with pork, Oomimi quietly taking bites only to hiss at the heat and do it again, Aran looking so gentle and endeared with the children, and both of the twins staring at the uncooked piece with absolute fascination, he found that it was a new feeling of home that he never wanted to give up.

Atsumu reached up with his own chopsticks to snag it. He stared at it for a minute, watching like it might strike him, before he finally popped it in his own mouth and chewed it.

There was silence as they all watched and Shinsuke was starting to feel bad making Atsumu the center of attention when Atsumu’s frown twisted into a smile instead. He looked up at Aran, eyes sparkling like he’d found the truth in the world.

“That wasn’t super gross!” Atsumu chirped happily. “Can I have some more like that please?”

“Oh, can… can I try too Aran-kun?” Osamu asked, gasping when Aran nodded and pulled more broccoli onto his plate to chop the heads off.

Oomimi watched for a moment before his and Akagi’s chopsticks both flashed and snagged the heads. Aran gasped dramatically, smacking Akagi’s chopsticks away as they went in for another bite only to lose two pieces to Oomimi.

“You guys are terrible bullies.” Aran snapped without fire and the twins laughed quietly at the scandalized look on Akagi’s face.

“I am not a bully, I am an angel that has been gifted to you from the gods themselves, all the gods. Every single one of them, including Kita!” Akagi argued back, whining when he was denied another broccoli head. Aran popped them in his mouth and then the hot pot before passing the now headless pieces to Oomimi to give to Shinsuke who quickly split them up between the two boys.

Shinsuke sighed and shook his head as he started to cook his own meal, keeping an eye on the twins as they started to eat. Atsumu didn’t seem to mind the vegetables at all just like he’d said, though Osamu was quick to pass the raw broccoli over in favor of his soft carrots.

As dinner passed, the boys started to relax again. Quietly laughing as Akagi regaled them with stories of wild adventures out of the country.

“So I’m sitting there in Australia right? And there’s this huge spider like… the size of your head,” Akagi was saying as he popped another dumpling in his mouth as the boys listened completely enraptured. “And I’m like thinking it’s going to eat me and the dude next to me just goes ‘Eh? What’re you doin? Get out of here, this isn’t a hotel for ya’  _ to the spider _ and the spider just stares at us and I’m sure I’m going to be gobbled up until the spider turns and runs down the street. Scariest moment of my life.”

Atsumu was nearly pressed against Shinsuke’s leg by the end of it, hand clutching Shinsuke’s wrist like he was afraid Shinsuke was going to leave him alone with the spiders. Osamu, on the other hand, was chowing down on the dumplings while completely entranced in the different stories.

“Shinsuke-san… I never want to see a spider again.” Atsumu whispered and Shinsuke reached up to pat his hair. He gently stroked the thick strands as Akagi started another story about bees.

“Okay okay, enough of the bug stories. It’s very late and we still have to get baths in.” Shinsuke said as Atsumu squeaked and rolled completely into his lap to hide from the story. Osamu whined, though when he saw his brother he stopped and crawled over to pat his back.

“I won’t let the bugs get you.” Osamu said soothingly, smiling when Atsumu’s head peaked over his shoulder to glare at him.

“You can’t stop a bug that could eat Oji-san.” Atsumu snapped, shivering and moving back to his hiding spot as Osamu gasped.

“I could too!”

“Enough you two, come on boys. Let’s go get a bath and if you’re still awake maybe your… Oji-san can pick out a movie before bed.” Shinsuke said, gently patting the boys’ backs until they were standing. Osamu was already yawning so he doubted they would get further than the actual bath.

“Aww, but I wanted Aran-kun to introduce them to volleyball.” Akagi whined, ignoring Aran’s confused look.

“What’s volleyball?” Osamu asked as he slipped over to the table again. Though Shinsuke wasn’t sure if he was hoping for another story or more rice and dumplings.

“It’s only the greatest game ever invented, that all your Oji-sans and your dad- Shinsuke-san played in high school.” Akagi said, already sitting up to explain more before Aran reached over and covered his mouth. He pointed to Shinsuke who was watching him with a half glare and Akagi wilted slightly.

“I’ll show you boys later, okay? Maybe I can teach you a few things while Shinsuke-kun is working or after school okay?” Aran said, letting his hand drop after a moment. His lips pursed and he turned to wipe the drool back onto the culprit’s shirt.

“You’re a twelve year old.”

“I’m your favorite twelve year old, right ‘Mimi?” Akagi chirped while Oomimi turned tired eyes on Shinsuke.

“Save me.” Oomimi said and Shinsuke rolled his eyes. They were all twelve year olds, that's why they all got along so well.

“I’m getting the boys clean, you three clean up.” Shinsuke said, careful not to leave any room for negotiation as he made his way to the wet room. He turned to the two, sighing at the sight of Osamu’s hair finally starting to wilt.

“Okay, we’re just going to take a quick bath after the shower okay? Are you okay if I stay in here?” Shinsuke asked and the twins glanced at each other. They seemed to be talking to each other and Osamu groaned before turning and nodding.

“Yes sir… But ya gotta make sure Atsumu washes his feet! He has gross feet!” Osamu insisted, turning his head away when Atsumu gasped and shoved him.

“You have stinky breath! Stinky breath baby!” Atsumu chanted until Shinsuke hushed them, reaching down to seperate them.

“Enough you two. We’ll scrub our feet and brush our teeth.” How on earth they managed to start a fight over a bath, Shinsuke had no idea. It was honestly almost impressive.

He turned and started to fill up the tub, ordering the twins to strip when another sound came from the doorway. Shinsuke looked up at the sound of plastic rustling to find Akagi holding a bag.

“I bought some bath supplies.” Akagi explained, passing the bag over with a smile at the twins.

Shinsuke opened it and sighed. Shampoo and conditioner were fine but… bubble bath and bath crayons were going to be the death of him. Before he had the chance to hide them away, the twins had already stepped over.

“Oh! Oh! We can have a bubble bath?” Atsumu gasped, turning to Akagi and bowing before he nearly fell on his face from the pants around his ankles. Shinsuke’s arm shot out and caught him, reaching down to tug the pants out from around his feet.

“Sorry Shinsuke-san. Thank you Oji-san!” Atsumu chirped, looking far too vibrant for so late at night. Yet Shinsuke couldn’t say no to that face.

“Alright, we can have a bubble bath, but only once we’re clean…” Shinsuke said, lips twitching at the cheers that rose up from both of the boys. He snagged their clothes, passing them to Akagi.

“Toss these in the boys’ hamper and bring some dry pajamas and leave them next to the towels okay?” Shinsuke passed them over, rolling his eyes at Akagi’s salute.

It wasn’t long before the water was at a decent temperature and the boys moved to sit on the stool under the shower head while Shinsuke turned the bath off and covered it to keep the heat. The shower itself was quick, though it took the combined efforts of Shinsuke and Atsumu to finally get rid of the last of the hair gel.

The boys were soaked and bouncing, accidentally spraying Shinsuke a few times with the water that slipped off their skin, though he didn’t care much. He shuffled them into the bath, pouring in the bubble bath and stirring it until it was completely covered in white clouds.

The twins squealed with delight, smacking at the bubbles quite cheerily. Shinsuke passed over the bath crayons with a vague sense of terror before allowing himself to relax. Whatever happened would happen.

Atsumu was currently drawing the world’s fattest rabbit as Osamu did his best to detail what looked like a pill bug on a piece of paper. Shinsuke settled beside the tub, keeping an eye on them.

“Tomorrow’s probably not going to be as much fun as today.” He said slowly, watching them glance at him before they went back to their drawings. “I have to go to work, but you’re more than welcome to join me or stay with Akagi at home. And you will be starting school next week.”

“Do we have to stay home?” Atsumu asked, adding a tail and then scribbling his own name between it’s ears. “Can we visit the bakery? They have muffins and a little boy just like us!” 

“Actually they have three.” Shinsuke said, watching both of them look up excitedly. His heart cracked slightly at their hopeful gazes. They had been pulled away from their last school and now had no friends or a way to contact the old ones, it was probably exciting to know they lived right across from some who might want to be their friends.

“And yes, if you wish you can visit the bakery. But only with me or Akagi until you know the street a little more and the owners can recognize you, okay?”

“Yes Shinsuke-san.” The twins chirped together and Shinsuke watched Osamu glance at Atsumu’s characters before scribbling his brother's name and drawing an arrow to the bug.

“Atsumu’s a bug!” Osamu said with a smirk only to yelp as his brother splashed him and the bug started to melt off the wall. “My bug! Atsumu you bully! Shinsuke-san.”

Shinsuke sighed internally, though he felt incredibly fond of the two already. He never really understood the desire to antagonize one’s fellow child. Even when he was a kid and he met the new foster children his grandmother brought in, he much preferred to get along with them. Perhaps though, it was a way of pushing boundaries because the two clearly loved each other more than anything.

“Atsumu, don’t erase his work. Osamu, you know Atsumu doesn’t like bugs so don’t tease him about it- why are you staring at me?” Shinsuke blinked at the two of them, leaning back as they lifted their markers.

“Shinsuke-san.” Osamu said slowly.

“Yes?”

“Can we draw something on you?” Atsumu continued, making swirls in the air.

Shinsuke froze, taking in the wide eyes that fluttered with innocence. There was absolutely no way in hell he was letting two six years olds draw on his face. He had principles, a reputation, a-

“Sure.” A giant weakness for the sweetest two boys he’s ever met that were already chipping at his heart.

“Do not say a word.” Shinsuke said when he exited the wet room, two half asleep boys in fresh pajamas holding onto his legs. Aran had come to say something, only to freeze halfway down the hall.

His lips were pursed, clearly trying not to burst into laughter but soft snickers were escaping anyways. He turned, a snort echoing down the hall before calling for Oomimi.

“What is it-Oh my god, JoJo’s Circus is here.” Oomimi dead panned, quietly lifting up his phone and snapping three photos. Shinsuke closed his eyes, trying not to let the exhaustion win.

“Come on boys, time for bed.” He said, patting down their mostly dry hair.

“But… you said we would get to watch a movie…” Osamu insisted, only to yawn into his fist.

“Osamu, if you watch a movie now you’re going to fall asleep in it. Let's wait until tomorrow okay? Oji-san will still be here.” Shinsuke soothed, bending down to scoop him up into his arms as he led Atsumu down the hall.

“Oji-san is here-” Akagi said, popping his head out of the kitchen only to freeze at the sight of Shinsuke. “Oji-san is gone, I repeat Oji-san has been killed.”

The howl of laughter made Atsumu jump before he was stumbling trying to keep up with Shinsuke’s longer legs. Shinsuke paused to grab him but Aran stepped forward instead.

“Mind if I carry you to bed?” He asked and Atsumu shook his head, toddling forward to wrap his arms around Aran’s neck. Shinsuke watched as Aran’s face twisted in shock before melting into a look of complete adoration and affection as he scooped the child up.

Together they carried the twins to the bedroom, Osamu was already dead asleep by the time he was being laid down. He whined when Shinsuke pulled his arms from around his neck before he curled against the pillow.

Atsumu sat up though, yawning and rubbing at his eyes. He squinted at the two adults in the room, like he was trying to recognize them.

“What about… Ki-chan?” He asked and Shinsuke tilted his head at him until Atsumu patted the espeon beside his bed. “Osamu’s… sleeping buddy.”

“Oh his fox… Aran, it’s on the couch under the blanket, fetch it for me?” Shinsuke asked, waiting for him to leave before moving to Atsumu’s side. He stroked through his hair as he sat on the edge of his bed, watching his face relax and droop closer to sleep.

“Atsumu. Let me know if you need anything okay? You remember where my room is?” Shinsuke asked, nodding when Atsumu mumbled out the directions. Aran slipped in quietly, nodding to Shinsuke as he pressed the fox into Osamu’s arms and moved back out.

“Good… Get some rest, little one. I’ll see you in the morning.” Shinsuke murmured, though he was sure Atsumu was already asleep as he stood up and walked out.

“Normally I’d insist on talking with you like we usually do… But I think you just need a nap.” Oomimi said lightly, putting away the last of the now dry dishes. He tilted his head towards the couch where Akagi had put on a movie of some sort.

“Will you be going to bed or joining us?” Aran asked and Shinsuke wanted to decline, shake his head and smile before heading to bed. Stronger than that however, was the loneliness that had crept into his chest at the idea of his house falling silent again and it had only been a day.

“I’ll join you.” Shinsuke murmured, allowing himself to be pulled along. He was settled in between Akagi and Aran, Oomimi having stolen the large armchair for himself.

Later, Shinsuke couldn’t tell you what movie it was or what happened. He just remembered falling to his side and a warm body tucking him closer while someone else leaned on his other. Then waking up again slightly to someone carrying him to his bed, murmuring a goodnight before it was all dark again. He woke up at three am to his shirt smelling strangely of a familiar deodorant and the scent of spray on pain reliever like his old volleyball days. When he drifted off again, he couldn’t help but notice the smile that wouldn’t leave his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Osamu's POV will be next chapter as he starts to branch out from behind his brother and Shinsuke's legs. More characters are coming too as we return to the shop and the boys find new friends both in and out of school  
> Come talk to me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji or Tumblr at Miracleboiz!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to give a heads up to two things.  
> One, the name Chichi is how children refer to their parents when not directly speaking to them and they sometimes use papa so both names have been included. I'm debating on whether to keep up the Japanese as I feel like it makes things a little harder to understand but at the same time I think it's an important aspect that shouldn't be erased.  
> This is not the final chapter for today, I'm writing the rest of Osamu's POV but I have to go help my grandmother since I'm the only one who's been quarantined since I lost my job so I wanted to make sure you guys had something while waiting for me to get back to write the rest of the chapter.

The clock glowed a soft red as it ticked out the time at 5:02 as Shinsuke’s eyes opened again. He yawned softly, sitting up and letting himself rest against the headboard. Yesterday had felt like it had gone on forever.

Not in a bad way, it hadn’t dragged or made Shinsuke dread the remaining hours. Yet, it had seemed to be more… full. As if he had managed to get more done in one day then he usually managed, though Shinsuke knew he had the same hours as he did every day.

Still…

He glanced at his phone as it lit up, a quiet ping letting him know there was a text waiting for him.

_ Koshi-san: _ Hey you! Hope everything went well yesterday

_ Koshi-san: _ want me to open up again? I can grab Tooru-kun early :3c

Hiring Sugawara was honestly Shinsuke’s best decision yet. He let his shoulders drop, realizing he hadn’t worried about the shop at all yesterday and he wondered if it was because he trusted his employees or if he had really been that distracted. Perhaps it was a bit of both in the end.

_ Me: _ Don’t worry about it, you have your morning training with Sawamura

_ Koshi-san: _ Kitaaaaaaa

_ Koshi-san: _ You do know technically we’re both Sawamura right?

_ Me: _ That’s not what it says on my employee tax forms

_ Koshi-san: _ Fair

_ Koshi-san: _ Okay~ I’ll see you when I get in then. Hopefully we can talk and I can meet your new babies!!

Shinsuke shook his head fondly as he put down his phone, rising to his feet and turning to make the bed. He did have to figure out how to work with the boys, after all he didn’t want to wake them up so early especially after so many things happening the past few days. The last thing he wanted to do was try and wrangle two emotionally drained and sleep deprived six year olds, he barely managed to wrangle an exhausted thirty-two year old Oikawa into listening some days.

He slipped out of the bedroom, making his way down the hall until he could peek into the boys’ room. Osamu was starfished out, one fox gripped tightly in each hand. Atsumu however, was splayed out on the floor.

Fighting back a laugh at Atsumu’s stubborn will to cling to the blankets and pull them down with him, Shinsuke stepped into the room. He knelt down, sliding his arms under the boy’s legs and back. Atsumu curled into his arms, mumbling something unintelligible as he tried to bury his face in Shinsuke’s chest.

Shinsuke picked him and lowered him back down, careful to not let him squirm his way back off the bed. The sheets were dry atleast, so he just seemed to be wiggling towards the warmest thing in the room which was currently Shinsuke himself.

“Shinsuke-san? Is everything okay?” A voice made Shinsuke jump before he recognized and turned to see a confused Osamu blinking at him. His gaze landed on Atsumu in Shinsuke’s arms and he froze, eyes dashing back to Shinsuke’s.

“It’s alright, your brother just fell out of bed and now he won’t let go.” Shinsuke said softly, turning to reveal Atsumu’s hands starting to fist in his shirt before he tugged the hands away. “C’mon little one, let go… There you go. No… Atsumu you can’t hold my hand, I have to go eat.”

“ ‘Tsumu’s just like that.” Osamu yawned, the sound of his feet hitting the floor echoed in the dark room. Shinsuke had to bite back a laugh hearing Atsumu’s words turned around on him.

“Is… Can I just...” Osamu hesitated as if a thought came to him right as he joined Shinsuke’s side. He struggled to find the words until Shinsuke realized what he had been trying to do.

“Go on around to my other side,” Shinsuke said softly, “I won’t let him kick you.”

Osamu scrambled around him, quickly climbing his way onto the bed until he was curled up behind Atsumu. He reached around, grabbing his brother’s hands and tugging them. That was all it took because a second later Atsumu flopped to face his brother and wrap himself around Osamu like a Koala.

“Ewww, I can smell his breath.” Osamu whined, though his eyes were already sliding shut again. “Are you… goin’ to work?”

“Yes, little one. Oji-san is in the living room if you need him, or if you need me you’re allowed to come get me, the doors are always open. Okay?” Shinsuke said softly, reaching over to brush his hair down as Osamu yawned and occupied himself with burrowing into Atsumu’s arms to hug him back.

“Okay, Shinsuke-san… I won’t bother you… Don’t… want you to send us away… You’re really really nice.” Osamu mumbled before he was out like someone had hit a light switch.

“Oh Osamu… I’m here to be bothered by you, for anything that you need…. That’s what a parent is  _ for _ .” Shinsuke said softly, though he knew it wouldn’t reach him.

He slowly stood, making sure both of them were properly tucked in before slipping out of the room again. Even as he stepped free of the dark room, he couldn’t help but stop and look back. How was he supposed to get these boys to trust people again only to let them go at the end of the month? 

What if they got orders to move again? Or if someone decided to adopt one but not both? There was only so much that Oomimi and Moniwa could do to keep them together if someone decided to specifically pick one of them.

“You’re thinking too much, c’mere.” Aran’s voice made him start and Shinsuke swore he was going to get bells for everyone in the house. He looked up to see Aran standing next to the kitchen with a mug of tea in his hands.

“I don’t remember letting you back into my house.” Shinsuke said dryly and Aran’s eyes crinkled with amusement before he turned into the kitchen and forced Shinsuke to follow.

“I never left. You fell asleep, then Michinari was trying to lay on you so we put you to bed and went to watch the rest of the movie and kinda… passed out. I hope you don’t mind.” Aran explained, waving the mug in the air. Shinsuke didn’t mind, it wasn’t the first time they had crashed at his house without warning it just hadn’t happened in ages.

“Akagi likes to crawl into my bed while I’m sleeping when he returns from out of the country. A single cup of tea won’t kill me.” 

Aran’s lips pursed as he tried not to laugh, quietly shaking his head fondly at Shinsuke. The strangest urge to fix his own hair overcame Shinsuke and he turned away, grabbing rice to get it started for breakfast. The last thing he needed to be thinking about was how familiar the sweet scent of Tonka Bean lotion was coming from Aran. How it still lingered on Shinsuke’s messy shirt after being carried to bed.

“I’m heading out in a few, I have to get to the gym before the kids do… But it was nice seeing you again… I don’t live far, if I stopped by occasionally… Do you think I’d be welcome?” Aran asked softly and when Shinsuke glanced back he was staring into his mug.

“I think if you call ahead, I’d be more than happy to set a place at the table for you.” 

“That’s good… Shinsuke.. We should talk sometime I… I’m going to be late… Shit, I’ll text you.” Aran said, draining the last of his tea before cleaning the cup out quickly. “Oh! And Akagi said something about… A Saru-san who wanted photos taken of her flowers?” 

Shinsuke curled his lip without thinking. Saru was an old woman who existed for the sole purpose of harassing his shop, Shinsuke wasn’t one to speak ill of customers but Saru-san had made Azumane-kun cry one too many times for Shinsuke to care anymore. He tilted his head to Aran to acknowledge he heard before the dark skinned man was grabbing his keys and heading to the door.

Shinsuke watched, wanting to call out and remind him to actually call… but the words caught in his throat. Instead he just waited for the familiar broad back to disappear behind his own sturdy door like he had so many times before.

He sighed, wondering if he was doing right by sticking to his plans and not being flexible. Then again, the idea of throwing it all away in was even more terrifying than the idea of Aran showing up to dinner with a date. 

Shinsuke did things planned, he wasn’t spontaneous or random. That was Akagi’s place in life, Shinsuke was a sturdy foundation for others to build upon. A house to protect them from the outside until they felt safe to venture forth with the knowledge that the safety of the home would always be waiting for them.

Part of him thought getting the boys was more than enough uproar in his life and he would be content for some time to get no more. A smaller part, though it seemed to be growing by the minute, was preparing for a large upheaval of his daily life. If he was going to have something as big as two children change his ways he might as well change all of it, a rather unappealing ‘go big or go home’ analogy.

Shinsuke wasn’t sure how long he stood there, but he finally turned away and moved to check on Oomimi and Akagi. Despite being sure Oomimi had taken the armchair the night before, the tall man was comfortably curled on Shinsuke’s couch on his stomach, Akagi spread out over his back.

Shinsuke debated on dragging Akagi to the spare room or even to his own bed to let the two rest without breaking each other’s spines. Then Oomimi shifted onto his side and trapped Akagi between the couch cushions and Oomimi’s back. They both snored softly and Shinsuke realized it wasn’t worth waking them up to do so. He grabbed the blanket that had fallen to the floor and tossed it over them, tucking the end around their feet before returning to breakfast.

Soft shuffling came from the couch as Shinsuke was finishing the last of his omurice. He looked up to see Akagi’s bedhead, not any worse than his usual hair, and confused eyes fluttering as he looked around. They finally landed on Shinsuke and there was another round of shuffling before the man was free from the couch.

“I have to pee.” Akagi said, staring directly into Shinsuke’s eyes before he turned and made his way down the hall. Shinsuke didn’t even bother being shocked, Akagi did things his own way including greetings.

“Okay, I’m functioning again.” Akagi yawned as he returned, shuffling his way over to Shinsuke until he could lay his head on his back. “What’re you doing up this early?”

“Eating breakfast, would you like me to make you something?” Shinsuke offered, turning to hold up a bite of the omurice. Akagi took it before he was pressing against his shoulder again, the warmth of his yawn making Shinsuke shiver slightly.

“Nah, ‘m tired… gunna go back to bed until… normal wake up time… Are the boys still asleep?” He mumbled, the words muffled.

“Yeah… I told them to come wake you if they need anything, is that okay?”

“Mmmm, yeah I’ll get up with them… Probably around seven you think?” 

“Sounds about right considering when they went to bed, I have to get back to the shop. I’m opening today. But please, let them come and get me if they need anything.” Shinsuke said softly, taking the final bite and gently pushing Akagi off to move to the sink and clean the plate. “Akaashi is always there early working on commissions, so if I need to step away I can.” 

Akagi hummed out an understanding, looking around again for a few seconds.

“Where’s Aran? Did you… let him sleep in your bed-” Akagi shut his mouth as Shinsuke shot a cold glare at him. The impish gleam in his eyes still didn’t disappear even as he looked away trying to push down a smirk.

“He left. He has work, unlike some people.” Shinsuke said slowly, eyeing him as a soft pink blush started to grow on his cheeks.

“Yeah okay, okay. I’m going back to bed. But when I’m more awake, we’re talking about your never ending crush.” Akagi stated, poking Shinsuke in the chest before he turned and wandered his way back to the couch. He paused at the back of it before simply rolling over it and onto Oomimi who yelped before the snoring started up again.

Shinsuke shook his head fondly, putting the dry plate away and making his way towards the entrance to his shop. The small mid-office had changed a little, Asahi had probably grabbed ribbons, and the fake flowers were missing now but Shinsuke didn’t bother checking everything. He slipped through to the boutique, relaxing slightly when he found it still in one piece.

He trusted Sugawara, very much in fact. However, he also knew Sugawara was as chaotic as Akagi himself and if anyone was going to put sticky notes all over his business it would be him.

He glanced at the clock above the doors, taking a moment to read the time before moving to the doors and quietly unlocking them. Across the street he could see Castle Bakery’s lights on in the kitchen, only the faintest glow reaching the main room. He watched it for a second, wondering if they would get any visitors from the bakery before deciding what happened would happen. 

He slipped over to the register, mentally reminding himself to give Sugawara a bonus or a raise. Everything was meticulously detailed, from orders to tailorings and he could already feel any worry starting to slip over his back as he grabbed the first few receipts to be typed up. He paused as his hand brushed over a thicker piece of paper and he lifted the Yamamoto wedding order to see a blue piece of stock paper.

A delicate fox was drawn in the middle, decorated in rather childish scribbles of small children and their signatures.

“Be safe Kita-san!” One line of characters was drawn over a short silver haired drawing signed by Shigeru, one of Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s children.

“Chichi says you might be dying.” Another line was scrawled out in a uniform line of characters though the signature was a lot messier from Tadashi, Sugawara’s oldest. Below that was a line insisting Sugawara had not said that.

“Please do not pass on, I would miss being able to talk to you.” Akira’s scribbling was nearly illegible but still impressive for a four year old. His drawing of them talking was… less impressive but Shinsuke appreciated it regardless.

“Come over! Papa misses you and Chichi says I can make you breakfast! I hope you’re not love sick for too long, feel better.” This one was probably the neatest, written delicately beside a cookie and Shinsuke didn’t need to read the signature to know it was from Shinji, the only child of the Matsukawas. He could only wonder what Takahiro-san and Issei-san were telling the children to make them worry.

Then again, as much as Shinsuke wasn’t one to listen to rumors, he was certain the story that his wedding planner and his personal trainer boyfriend were secretly dating the Castle Bakery owners was more than a little covered in truth. Shinsuke would not have put it past Oikawa to tell all of their kids that Shinsuke was ‘love sick’, after all he and Akagi enjoyed putting their noses in Shinsuke’s non-existent love life a little too much.

Still, the art did warm his heart and he wondered if Osamu and Atsumu would ever draw something similar. The urge to check on them started to grow, a quiet loneliness that wrapped around his heart at the sight of the empty store. He turned away from the receipts, moving to hang the small poster behind Asahi’s station where they had taken to putting any drawings the children of his workers made.

It was nearly six-thirty when the door rang to announce Akaashi’s entrance. Shinsuke nodded his head in greeting, carefully typing up the cash receipts into the laptop he’d grabbed from his office. The urge to check on the twins had overpowered him three times when he tried to work in his office so he’d moved himself to the register.

“Kita-san. Is everything alright?” Akaashi said, dipping his own head in greeting as he moved to stand in front of the station. His head tilted slightly, glasses slipping down his nose. Shinsuke couldn’t help but notice he looked tired, dark circles decorated the space under angled eyes and his black hair was still pointed up wildly in the back.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry I didn’t check in yesterday, how did it go?”

“It was fine, I finished quite a few commissions for wedding cards so they’re just waiting to be approved before I mail them out. We didn’t have a lot of people yesterday, but Shirofuku-san was busy all day. We had to send away Ito-san and Takahashi-san because they refused to let Koushi-san do their dresses but also wouldn’t do reservations. I explained Shirofuku-san was our only female tailor but they were insistent it would have to be a female or no one and they wanted Koushi-san to take over for Shirofuku-san’s current client.” Akaashi explained, face perfectly tailored to a customer service persona though his voice had deepened to reveal his annoyance with the situation.

“Ah, they’re… picky.” Shinsuke nodded, glancing over to their wedding registry. “They have everything through us to get deals so I doubt they’ll cancel everything. Did you see when they were going to come back?”

“Ito-san said she would be back today around eight and Takahashi-san’s mother called to say they would be coming on Saturday as soon as we opened.” Akaashi nodded, reaching over the counter to tug Yukie’s schedule out from under a pile of notes. “Koushi-san also has three people coming in today to speak with Oikawa-san about planning their wedding so he’ll be grateful to have something to do. It’s been a slow season for him.”

“That’s true, usually he has a lot more clients. Then again, after Akira-kun broke his leg he did pull back on his advertising. Now that he’s better, Oikawa should speak to some old clients and see if we can get word of mouth going again as long as he can handle the pressure.” 

“Not to be blunt, but I don’t think there is a thing Oikawa-san can’t handle if he puts his mind to it. I’ve seen him eat Takahiro-san’s habanero cupcakes and he only cried a little.” Akaashi said dryly, though Shinsuke could see the amusement glittering in his eyes. “Azumane-san had a few designs he wanted to go over with you as well. The cocktail dress designs from last month have sold extremely well on the online store and I think he’s fallen in love with not having to look at people when selling his clothes.”

“Perhaps. I’ll look at them when this is over. Thank you Akaashi…. Are you going to ask?” Shinsuke said as he turned back to his computer and typed in another total. He could hear Akaashi shuffling his feet and knew the stoic man was just as curious as everyone else.

“You’ll tell me when you want me to know.” Akaashi said after a minute of nothing but the tapping of keys.

“.... Thank you for that… I’m fostering two boys, twins. Probably only until the end of the month but we’ll see if it’s shorter. They’ve had a bit of a hard life so please be kind if they come out here, they’re easily frightened right now but sweet. I won’t let them in your station but they may come around.” Shinsuke hummed, aggressively shoving down the curious feeling building in his chest that wanted to go see if they were awake yet. They were not his kids and Akagi was more than capable of making them breakfast if they were awake.

“Ah. I don’t think any of us will mind them coming around as long as they don’t break anything. After all, Shirofuku-san still lets Bokuto-san visit and he lit her paperwork on fire… twice.” Akaashi’s voice was fond and Shinsuke had a strong need to ask Oikawa why he was so hellbent on getting Shinsuke to date when Akaashi was clearly pining and Shinsuke was much more subtle.

“That’s true, but Yukie-chan can be bought with food. Azumane is still scared he’s going to break one of them. Remember when Akira-kun came in with his cast and Azumane didn’t want to sign his cast?” Shinsuke said, glancing over at the ringing of the front door. Oikawa Tooru was grumpily kicking snow off his boots and looked at them.

“Akira is  _ still _ upset over that by the way. Good Morning, Akaashi, Kita.” Oikawa gave them half a bow before he grabbed a chair and dragged it over to sit beside Shinsuke. “So, what’s up?”

“We were simply talking about yesterday.” Akaashi said smoothly, inclining his head before walking around the register to his own station. “The rest isn’t for me to tell.”

“Sometimes, I can’t tell if he hates me or if I’m just that pretty.” Oikawa hummed, fluttering his eyes over at Akaashi when the black haired man looked over at him in surprise. “I’m joking Akaashi-kun~ I know you don’t hate me. You just never share the gossip with me and it’s hurtful, truly.”

“Don’t tease him. We were also talking about the boys I’m fostering… If you don’t mind me asking, why are you here so early? Your first appointment isn’t until… ten.” Shinsuke said, glancing at the sticky note Sugawara had left behind.

“Well, Hajime, in all his absolutely beautiful and idiotic glory decided to take a client at six in the morning and since the boys are over at ‘Hiro’s I have nothing to do when the asshole wakes me up early.” Oikawa sniffed disapprovingly as if his boyfriend doing his job was the worst thing possible.

“So why didn’t you help out at the bakery? That’s what you normally do when you’re awake this early isn’t it? They always seem excited to see you.” Shinsuke said subtly, looking down at his papers as piercing brown eyes snapped up to him.

“My, my, I never thought my wonderful boss Kita Shinsuke would be one to listen to rumors,” his voice was haughty for a moment before dropping in defeat, “and Shinji-kun and Issei kicked me out for eating peanut butter cookies again.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re allergic and they don’t want you to die.” Akaashi called over, not looking up from whatever character he was drawing. Oikawa stuck out his tongue and turned back to Shinsuke.

“So tell me about yesterday!”

Shinsuke shook his head with amusement but started to talk, the lonely feeling starting to fade away as Akaashi turned to listen while he worked. Though he still wanted to see the twins again, he was starting to realize why Akagi had said he had a family after all. He couldn’t believe he had been so blind, but he was grateful to know now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk with me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji or Tumblr Miracleboiz!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor panic attack description warning. This is another 5k I hope it came out well!

Osamu wasn’t sure Akagi should have been in charge anymore. He debated on running to get Shinsuke as the rice hissed angrily in the pan Akagi was stirring. He didn’t want to bother Shinsuke about something dumb and make him angry, but he was also sure Akagi didn’t know how to cook.

“Don’t give me those looks, I know what I’m doing.” Akagi said when he turned back to the twins waiting patiently at the edge of the kitchen with wide eyes. “I think… It’s been a while since I made omurice but Kita’s food smelled so good… Ha, oops that’s a fire… hmm… Let’s just make beef strips instead, we still have Aran’s from last night.”

Osamu turned to share a glance with his brother and he knew they were thinking the same thing.

_ Why is he allowed to touch the stove? _

Osamu shrugged, looking around the room. He had caught Shinsuke looking in on them twice when he had woken up a few hours after crawling into bed with his brother and he was half-hoping he’d come say hello again.

It was… a new feeling, hoping to see a foster parent again. Osamu had had nice ones, but they had all been… well… unhappy was the best way Osamu could word it. All of his other foster parents had made it clear they were fosters, they weren’t really a part of the family and the meaner ones had physically enforced it as well.

Shinsuke was nice though, real nice. He didn’t push Osamu or Atsumu away or tell them to go be quiet in the other room. He didn’t yell at them or throw things at least he hadn’t yet.

Atsumu kept warning him to be careful, that Shinsuke would turn out to be like Yoshimoto-san. The man who had promised to adopt both of them only to show up at the foster home and revealed he was going to be taking Osamu and only him. He had tried to drag Osamu out of the home until Atsumu finally bit their old caretaker and been hit so hard Yoshimoto-san had let go to call the police. The man hadn’t even looked at Osamu curled against his brother until the police arrived and took them to the hospital. Osamu never saw him again but Moniwa-san had said he rescinded the adoption.

Osamu wasn’t particularly upset about that, he wasn’t the first to change his mind so Osamu knew better than to get excited nowadays. He was more upset that every time he looked at his brother there was a line of bruises to remind Osamu it was his fault that Atsumu was hurting. If he had been more clear Moniwa-san might have understood that Osamu wouldn’t leave his brother no matter what, or if he had talked with Yoshimoto-san they both could have been adopted.

Osamu didn’t want Shinsuke to be like that. Shinsuke was  _ nice _ and his friends were nice and it was the first time Osamu had ever had an uncle before. Even after yesterday when Osamu had messed up a lot, Shinsuke didn’t yell at him. He comforted him and said it was okay and even helped him breathe again when it started to be really hard.

Shinsuke… Sitting at dinner the night before, Osamu felt… like he finally knew what having a family meant. He understood why all the other kids at school talked about their parents all the time, why they were excited to go home instead of trying to linger at school as long as they could. Even when he was sure he was going to be yelled at, that Atsumu was going to try and take his punishment, Shinsuke and the others hadn’t looked angry once. He had been  _ gentle _ when he cleaned up Osamu’s mess.

“ ‘Samu?” Atsumu’s voice came from his side and Osamu realized he was crying. “ ‘Samu what’s wrong?” 

Instantly Akagi was turning around and the realization that he looked worried just made another sob come from Osamu’s mouth. He covered his mouth with a hand, trying not to give into the urge to stuff his shirt in his mouth. No matter how nice people were, they always got angry at his tears.

“Osamu?” Akagi asked softly, tilting his head as he crouched to look at him better. “Osamu, sweetie are you okay? Do you want me to go get Kita?”

Osamu shook his head, trying to cover his mouth better as he scrubbed angrily at the tears. He didn’t want to make Shinsuke mad, he didn’t want to risk Shinsuke turning into everyone else. He was going to keep Shinsuke happy to have them for as long as he could, so he wouldn’t hurt him or Atsumu.

“Is everything alright?” A sleepy voice broke in and Osamu shrank into his brother’s side as he realized he had woken Oomimi. Making a social worker angry was the worst thing Osamu could do. They could make Moniwa-san take them away or tell their foster parents to punish them.

“Akagi, the food.” Oomimi’s voice came again directly behind Osamu and he flinched, waiting for the smack he was certain was coming.

“Osamu are you okay?” Oomimi’s feet didn't stop behind Osamu, instead they moved around him until the tall man was moving to kneel in front of him instead. He… didn’t look angry, he looked worried and Osamu had no idea what to do with that.

“I… I … I ….” Osamu tried to remember what Shinsuke had said yesterday. He was having an anxiety attack, he needed to breathe… breathe something… Shinsuke had tried to help him and now he was failing. He was making a mess of things again. 

_ What if Atsumu got hurt because of him again? What if Shinsuke sent them away? What if Oji-san decided he didn’t like them anymore and became like the others- _

“Breathe in for seven seconds Osamu.” Oomimi’s voice broke through the terrified mantra in Osamu’s mind. He sucked in the breath harshly, only barely aware of his brother's own worried face.

“Good, now breathe out for eight… there you go. Not so bad now huh? Just breathe, in for seven….. Out for eight.”

Osamu didn’t really remember being brought to the couch, mind still whirling a thousand miles an hour as he realized he had messed up again. How many times was this? Six? Seven? And it hadn’t even been two days.

He glanced up as he heard Shinsuke’s name, suddenly aware of Atsumu’s hand in his like a lifeline. 

“Please don’t bother Shinsuke-san.” He blurted, shrinking down as the two adults looked over at him. “P-p-please. I… I’m okay… I don’t want to upset him. I’m sorry.”

“Sweetheart, it’s not a bother.” Akagi tried to insist before Osamu shook his head again.

“S-shinsuke-san… Shinsuke-san’s at work… I’m sorry.” Osamu forced the words out, certain that if he apologized enough then he could avoid getting sent away again.

“Okay, we won’t call Shinsuke back.” Oomimi said, his voice slow and steady as Osamu’s breath picked up again. Osamu pressed his lips together and nodded, squeezing his brother’s hand and rubbing at his eyes.

“It’s okay to be sad,” Akagi’s voice came from their right followed by the scent of food, “y’know? Sometimes you’re just sad, and that’s okay Osamu. Just let us know, okay?... Do you two want to eat?”

Osamu hesitated, well aware his brother’s eyes were on him and following his lead. He didn’t like that, he prefered letting Atsumu lead and taking the background spot but... Atsumu was probably hungry and he wouldn’t eat unless Osamu did….

“Ye-yes sir.” Osamu nodded, only managing the smallest twitch of his lips in response to Akagi’s smile.

He stood, pulling his hand slowly from Atsumu’s. He almost took it back when he saw the hurt look but he couldn’t. If he was in trouble he wasn’t going to get Atsumu in trouble too for comforting him. Instead he started to walk towards the table Akagi had set up, quickly taking his spot.

Breakfast was quiet, and Osamu couldn’t help but feel responsible. If he had just controlled himself then maybe Akagi would tell them another story and Atsumu wouldn’t be so upset. If he had done better then Oomimi wouldn’t be upset and Akagi wouldn’t be disappointed. If he hadn’t messed up… If he didn’t constantly mess up, would they have a family already? Was this all his fault?

“I’ll do the dishes,” Osamu said softly as Oomimi lowered his chopsticks at last. He wasn’t even sure what he’d eaten, only that Atsumu had piled it up for him so it must have been something safe to eat.

“Actually… Osamu, do you think you could do something for me?” Akagi said hesitantly and Osamu froze. His heart seemed to clench as he looked up obediently, blinking bleary eyed at him.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to… It’s just… Kita ate really early this morning and he’s probably hungry again… Do you think you could bring him something to eat?”

Osamu didn’t know how to answer. Was he just trying to get him to leave so they could take Atsumu away? But… they always took away the one causing problems and Atsumu had been on his best behavior so they wouldn’t be taking him away this time… Or maybe someone had asked for the better twin which was clearly Atsumu when Osamu was messing up constantly.

Yet… Akagi didn’t look upset… They hadn’t been upset like the others had been when Osamu had cried before. Oomimi was clearing the table but he didn’t look upset either and he was the one allowed to take them away. Social Workers never hid anything, if they didn’t like you then they would tell you.

Slowly Osamu turned to face his brother. Atsumu’s eyebrows were knitted together in worry but when he met his brother’s gaze he smiled. It was small, but it was enough to uncurl the rock that was sitting in Osamu’s stomach.

“You wanted to see the shop again right?” Atsumu whispered when Akagi moved to join Oomimi with the rest of the dishes. “You should go bring Shinsuke-san lunch and see all the stuff. I don’t wanna see it anyways.”

Osamu slowly nodded, moving to his feet and grabbing the cushions. Atsumu jumped up to help him and in minutes the last of the cushions were stored away.

Akagi was talking animatedly to Oomimi who was simply nodding and humming along. They didn’t look angry… but still…

“Promise me you won’t leave.” Osamu hissed to his brother, grabbing his arm and holding him in place. “If I… If I go you’ll be right here when I get back right? Swear it.”

“I swear!” Atsumu said, eyes wide as he stared at his brother in confusion before he stiffened his shoulders and pushed his chest out. “If anyone tries to take me away, I’ll kick and scream just like before. I’ll always be with you ‘Samu.”

Osamu sighed in relief only to feel guilt roll in his stomach as his eyes caught on the line of bruises on Atsumu’s face. Atsumu had already proven he would do anything to stay with Osamu and the bruises were just proof of that.

“I’m… going to go take Shinsuke-san his lunch.” Osamu mumbled, staring at the ground as he made his way towards Akagi. Atsumu didn’t say anything but Osamu could feel the confusion in his gaze on his back.

“Here you go. He should either be in his office or in the front of the store. He showed you around a bit yesterday yeah?” Akagi said with a gentle smile and Osamu wondered if Akagi knew he was far too expressive to hide the sad look in his eyes.

“Yes sir.”

“Okay, come back if you have any questions okay? I’m going to show Oomimi what we built yesterday on Minecraft, okay?” Osamu wasn’t sure why Akagi was asking when he had been the one to buy the game but he nodded anyway and started towards the office.

“We’ll be right on the couch when you come back.” Oomimi said softly, handing a plate to Akagi to dry. “I swear it. All three of us.”

That helped a little. No one ever bothered to swear unless it was about adopting. Then it was always lies, but no one here had broken their promises yet.

Osamu held the bento closer to his chest, heading towards the door that he knew led to the shop. He tugged it open carefully, slipping inside before he had a chance to panic about leaving his brother behind.

The office looked a little different than before. It was missing the fake flowers but the rest was too high on the desk for Osamu to really see so he didn’t bother to look beyond seeing that Shinsuke wasn’t on the fabric covered chair.

He opened the second door, staring up at the racks of men’s clothes. Panic pressed against his chest as he realized how much bigger the store was without Shinsuke and Atsumu next to him. A whimper broke from him before he squashed it down, clenching the bento as hard as he could.

He took a step at a time, hesitating when he heard voices. Then Shinsuke’s now familiar and soothing low voice made him take another step forward and another.

Shinsuke-san wouldn’t hurt him, he wasn’t like the others. Atsumu promised he was going to be waiting. Everything was okay, everything was perfect.

He finally managed to exit the men’s clothes only to come face to face with people he didn’t know. He assumed they were customers because they were digging through the other racks and pulling things out to hold out to each other. He couldn’t see Shinsuke at all.

He took a step into the mess, desperately praying to whatever god was watching that none of them would try and grab him. He skirted around the edge, looking around for his foster parent and instead found the corner Shinsuke had pointed out to him yesterday.

Hadn’t Shinsuke said he worked with the guy in that corner? Or had he meant he just knew the man?

Osamu only hesitated until he heard someone coming at him then he booked it to the small corner office. He nearly made it before he collided with something firm and tall. He fell back at the same time his wall did.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so so so sorry, I didn’t see you,” The voice rambled and Osamu looked up from the ground to see a large man fussing over the fabrics that had fallen to the ground. His long brown hair was pulled back in a bun but in the front… Was almost completely covered in different types of barrettes like the ones Shinsuke had bought for Osamu.

“Oh… You’re not Suga.” The man blinked at him and Osamu shook his head. The man reached up to scratch his beard nervously, looking around for something.

“Uh… are you here with your parents?” He said slowly, straightening up. Osamu normally would have been intimidated by his height but Oomimi was even taller and Aran had been the same size.

“I’m… Here for Shinsuke-san.” Osamu said slowly, holding up the bento and the man’s eyes lit up.

“Oh! You’re one of the twins, Shinsuke told us about you. I’m Azumane Asahi, I design and make most of the dresses. Shinsuke is…” He peered over the crowd and his face creased with what Osamu thought was fear. “At the register. I would give it a minute before going over there… Here, why don’t you sit with me until it clears up a little bit. Saru-san can be a yeller when she doesn’t get her way.”

Osamu hesitated for a moment, debating the options. On one hand, bringing the bento to Shinsuke quickly meant that he could get back to Atsumu faster. On the other hand, Azumane seemed to be nice and Osamu didn’t want to be yelled at by whoever Saru-san was.

He made his way to his feet, quietly following after Azumane until they came up to a large desk with a sewing machine perched on one end. The middle was covered in more ribbons then Osamu had ever seen before and his eyes widened.

“Oh you like them?” Azumane said, grabbing something from the pile and holding it up to reveal a large bow made out of the ribbon. It glittered in the lights and Osamu wanted twenty of them.

“Take a seat and I’ll show you how to make a few while we wait for your dad.” Azumane grabbed more ribbon, moving to let Osamu take the seat next to him. Osamu didn’t bother to correct him about Shinsuke, it just made him sad and things more complicated when adults tried to cover up their mistakes.

Osamu watched intently, trying to copy Azumane’s movements to craft a bow. The ribbon kept slipping through his fingers but Osamu still loved it, feeling the silky touch under his fingers and the pretty colors dancing around him. He wanted to call Atsumu to join him but when he turned he remembered that Atsumu wasn’t with him.

He paused before lowering his newest bow to the table. He looked up at Azumane, wondering how someone so scary looking managed to get so many hair clips.

“Can I see Shinsuke-san now?” Osamu asked softly, making the man jump. He looked up toward the main room and Osamu tried to follow his gaze but all he could see was legs.

“Uh… Yes, I think Saru-san is gone. Want me to walk you to him?” Azumane offered, already putting down his own bow when Osamu shook his head and slid off the chair.

“Thank you very much Azumane-san.” Osamu said softly, grabbing the bento and scurrying out of the room before Azumane could trick him back with ribbons again.

He dodged around a person, mentally making a note to let Atsumu meet Azumane. Azumane was nice and he had cool things to play with.

Osamu nearly collided with another set of legs, just barely managing to skid to a stop as the brunette woman froze and glared down at him. From behind her a redhead peeked over and turned to call something towards the front of the shop.

“Watch out!” The first woman said, her voice harsh and Osamu flinched back. The bento hurt his fingers from his tight grip but he resisted the urge to drop it and step back in case someone else was behind him. Besides, adults got mad when he tried to get away, he would be asking to be smacked if he moved away.

“Now now,” a slow sleepy voice said and the other woman’s head popped up again, this time making her way around the first woman. “Ito-san, he’s just a little lost. Come on, go ahead and step up here so we can get started on your waist.”

“Who’s kid is he anyway?” Ito-san sniffed irritably, brown hair flying as she turned her head to glare at the redhead. “You shouldn’t let brats run around-”

“He’s mine.” Instant relief flooded through Osamu as the familiar voice of Shinsuke met his ears. “I do apologize, he got a little turned around trying to find me.”

Osamu looked up the second Shinsuke’s hand landed on his shoulder, searching the gray eyes for anger or annoyance. There wasn’t any and Osamu was shocked, instead there was just quiet confusion before Shinsuke turned back to the woman.

“Thank you Shirofuku-san for letting me know, Ito-san, please let Shirofuku-san know if there’s anything else we need to do for your dress or your wedding package.” Shinsuke said almost sweetly and Osamu was taken aback by the different tone of voice.

Shinsuke’s hand tightened on his shoulder for a moment before he was gently guiding Osamu around, towards the front of the shop where they had found the muffins the first day. 

Osamu didn’t say anything, keeping his head down until they were tucked behind the counter. Only then did he dare to lift his head and look up at Shinsuke, waiting for his punishment for getting in the way.

Again, the only emotion in Shinsuke’s eyes was confusion and Osamu started to relax before he realized he hadn’t said why he had come. Shinsuke might still get mad for interrupting him for food-

“Is that for me?” Shinsuke asked, pointing at the bento. Osamu glanced down at it before nodding, letting Shinsuke take it from him.

“Thank you very much, I was starting to get hungry. Are you okay Osamu?” Shinsuke asked as he lowered the bento onto the desk.

“Y-yes sir… I’m sorry I was in the way.” Osamu said softly, eyes dropping to the ground. He flinched at the sound of Shinsuke moving until a gentle hand landed on his head and tilted his head up again.

“You weren’t in the way Osamu, you just got confused. You went too far to the left is all. Really, Ito-san is just upset because she didn’t listen to our rules yesterday and didn’t get what she wanted. I’m sorry she got mad at you, you didn’t deserve that.” Shinsuke said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. As if Osamu hadn’t messed up again for the hundredth time just that day. As if he wasn’t thinking about all the things Osamu ruined just by being around.

Osamu didn’t even realize he was crying until his vision blurred and Shinsuke leaned in worriedly. Osamu couldn’t speak, the words catching in his mouth so instead he just stepped forward until he could wrap his arms around Shinsuke’s waist. He tightened his hold until he was pressing his face as hard as he could against Shinsuke’s stomach.

“Oh, Osamu.” Shinsuke murmured and Osamu waited for the admonishment but nothing came. Instead gentle fingers landed on his head, threading almost… lovingly through his hair.

Shinsuke didn’t say anything after that, simply stood still and quietly let Osamu gather himself. Osamu knew better than to sob loudly but the affection made him want to, made him want to cry until he couldn’t cry anymore and then crawl onto Shinsuke’s lap and sleep until he forgot what he was crying about.

He pulled back when his eyes felt dry, and went to wipe his face. Shinsuke beat him to it with a small handkerchief that he brushed over Osamu’s tear stained cheeks.

“Are you good now?” Shinsuke asked, gray eyes filled with concern and… affection.

“ ‘m sorry Shinsuke-san.” Osamu mumbled, nodding his head.

“Don’t apologize, you’re allowed to cry Osamu. It’s healthy to cry when you need to.” Shinsuke brushed his hair down again. “Akagi didn’t have you brush your hair when you got up did he?”

Osamu shook his head and Shinsuke sighed, but it wasn’t an annoyed sigh. Osamu had to actually think about it for a long moment before he realized he sounded almost… happy that Akagi had forgotten? Not happy but… close… A different word that lingered far at the end of Osamu’s tongue.

“Akaashi? Do you have one of the combs for the customers with you?” Shinsuke called and Osamu turned to look, blinking when he realized there was another section next to them.

“Uh… Yes I do, here.” A round faced man said, grabbing something and turning around to offer it to them. Black hair dropped around glasses on high cheek bones, and Osamu wanted to call him pretty but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed.

“Thank you. Osamu, this is Akaashi Keiji, Akaashi this is Osamu one of my twins.” Shinsuke said as he leaned over the counter to take the comb.

“Hello Osamu,” Akaashi greeted but Osamu couldn’t manage to get out more than a hello.

_ Osamu, one of  _ my _ twins _ . The words echoed in Osamu’s head. He’d never been anyone's anything before, except Atsumu’s brother. Did that mean… Shinsuke… wanted him around?

Osamu had no idea what to do with that knowledge. Then again… Maybe Shinsuke had said it by accident… What if he didn’t want Atsumu too? Osamu really liked Shinsuke, he wanted to stay with him for a long time but… not if it meant losing his brother. But Shinsuke was so nice, he didn’t yell or hit them, he never told them to shut up, he never ignored them, Osamu never wanted to stay with anyone else.

He barely noticed the comb brushing through his hair until he heard his brother’s voice calling his name.

For a moment panic flashed through him as he saw Atsumu running at him, then he realized Atsumu was smiling.

“ ‘Samu! ‘Samu! Oji-san said we could go to the bakery, but if you’re having fun here then I can bring you back somethin’.” Atsumu chirped, nearly body slamming the counter before Akagi managed to scoop him up. 

“Uh…” Osamu started, watching his brother get lifted up and then back down behind the counter. “I…”

“You can do whatever you want.” Shinsuke assured him from where he was still combing his hair into obedience. “Do you want to stay with me? You can help me or Akaashi make cards, or you can meet Sugawara-san and he can show you how he tailors if you’d like.”

Osamu was nearly overcome with all the options, desperately wanting someone to just tell him what to do. Then his eyes landed on Azumane in the back corner, carefully crafting ribbons and flower ornaments.

“Can… Can I do ribbons?” Osamu hated that his voice was nearly a whisper but Shinsuke didn’t yell at him to speak up. He smiled, so soft and small that Osamu nearly missed it, and nodded.

“Sure. Akagi, do not lose Atsumu and do not spoil his lunch.” Shinsuke said, voice taking on a hard line but Akagi wasn’t bothered as he gave a mocking bow.

“Of course not! Who do you think I am?” Akagi gasped dramatically, hand over his heart and both of the twins giggled. Their uncle wiggled his eyebrows at them, making Atsumu laugh again even louder.

“I think you’re twelve, Atsumu can I brush your hair?” Shinsuke asked, getting to work when Atsumu bowed his head in answer. “How could you let the boys out while their hair looked like yours?”

“I thought it would help them make friends, after all mine got me you~” Akagi winked and Osamu’s eyes widened at the glare he got in return but again Akagi didn’t seem to worry about it.

“There you go, Atsumu, please keep an eye on your Oji-san.” Shinsuke asked and Atsumu laughed as he nodded. Atsumu leaned around Shinsuke for a moment to smile at his brother and give him two thumbs up.

“Bye ‘Samu, I’ll get you the best thing they have!” Atsumu called as he took Akagi’s hand and started to drag him out of the building.

Osamu watched him leave, moving to look out of the glass doors. He nodded when Shinsuke said something, hoping it wasn’t important, and kept his eyes on his brother’s form crossing the street with his hand in Akagi’s. He didn’t pull away from the window until they had disappeared in the turquoise and white building.

He turned around and realized Shinsuke was no longer behind him. Panic welled in his chest for a moment, hoping Shinsuke hadn’t told him to follow, when Shinsuke appeared again. He was holding something as he made his way through the customers.

Osamu blinked when he realized he had brought over a few ribbon wheels.

“I wasn’t sure which colors or styles you wanted, so I grabbed a couple different ones.” Shinsuke explained, walking with him to the chair in front of a laptop. He cleared off a space beside it, laying the ribbons down.

“Azumane said he showed you how to make some of them, so you can make those, or I can show you a few more.” Shinsuke offered and Osamu gave him a shy smile, turning to the ribbons.

He grabbed the first one, turning to look for a chair as Shinsuke leaned to type something on the computer. Shinsuke met his gaze after a moment, leaning back and tapping his lap questioningly thinking that’s what Osamu was trying to silently ask for. 

Osamu bit his lip, wondering if Shinsuke was actually offering before deciding to take the opportunity anyways. He moved closer, putting his hands on his knees before Shinsuke just leaned forward and scooped him up quickly.

Shinsuke leaned forward, making sure he could still type before he relaxed again, glancing down at Osamu. The child was already undoing the ribbon wheel, snagging a pair of scissors under the counter when he got to what he thought was a good length of fabric. Osamu leaned back until he was pressed against Shinsuke’s chest and the man could physically feel the way Osamu relaxed slowly.

He had no idea how Osamu survived being so tense, but he was going to put an end to it if he could.

Osamu looked up as Shinsuke spoke, offering a tip on how to curl the ribbon. He sighed and let the warmth of Shinsuke’s hold comfort him. He had no idea if he’d ever been held like this before, he certainly couldn’t remember it, maybe when he was still a baby before his mom passed away. Still, it was relaxing and Osamu couldn’t help… but to feel safe. He even froze as the thought occurred to him before he focused on the ribbon again.

Maybe this wasn’t so bad. Maybe… Shinsuke did actually like them. Maybe Osamu would know what a real family was like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me on twitter @WatacchiShinji


	10. Chapter 10

Shinsuke didn’t look up as the doorbell rang again, letting Oikawa move past him to greet whoever had come in. Instead he and Osamu had Azumane on his knees in the back corner office while Osamu did his best to braid a ribbon into the long stips. Azumane still looked a little traumatized from having a four foot tall child run up to him and yell the question at him to braid his hair.

“Are you sure… This is highly unprofessional.” Azumane said, glancing up at his boss.

Shinsuke was moving the drawings on the back wall to clear up more space and barely gave Azumane a quick flick of his eyes before he was shrugging. He didn’t say that as long as Osamu was smiling he would let him do anything, he didn’t think it needed saying aloud.

“My store, my rules. And I think you’re meeting the dress code just fine.” Shinsuke hummed, trying not to laugh at Azumane’s defeated sigh.

“We have a dress code?” Sugawara’s voice made Azumane whine a little louder as the silver haired man crouched down to offer Osamu a new clip to slide into the braided ribbons before moving to the thread wall. Azumane gave him a look of despair as the butterfly was quickly added to his hair, Shinsuke only felt a little guilty that it was probably starting to get unnaturally heavy. Not nearly enough to stop Osamu though

“Yes, it specifically states not to wear anything Oikawa considers to be good.” Shinsuke turned, ignoring the laughter that broke from Sugawara as the pounding of feet reached him. Seconds later Atsumu burst through the gateway.

“ ‘Samu! I’m getting married.” The words made Shinsuke drop the drawings immediately as he scrambled to understand what was going on. He twisted to stare open mouthed at Atsumu, completely speechless as the child rushed at his brother and skittered to a stop in front of him.

“Why?” Osamu looked as confused and terrified as Shinsuke himself felt. Atsumu either didn’t notice or didn’t care because he just held up a box with a bright oversized grin.

“ ‘Cuz if I marry him then I get all the cookies always!” Atsumu chirped, eyes wide with wonder and delight. Shinsuke slowly turned his head to blink at Azumane and Sugawara, both of them were already looking to him for answers.

“Akagi…” Shinsuke called, letting his eyes fall shut as he heard Akagi’s squeaky answer from outside of the back office. He moved around the boys, pausing only enough to brush Atsumu’s hair down from the wind, and looked to find Akagi attempting to hide behind a rack.

“I left you alone with him for…” He glanced at the clock and then back over. “An hour and a half. And now he’s getting married?”

Akagi looked momentarily ashamed before shrugging and holding up a box of baked goods. He smiled pleasantly over the box, attempting to flutter his lashes sweetly but it did nothing against Shinsuke’s annoyed glare.

“It’s not my fault.” Akagi whined, pitching his voice up and making a few customers glance over. He quieted when Shinsuke’s eyes narrowed but his pout only grew stronger as he huffed.

“I didn’t tell Shinji-kun to give him an extra muffin. He just did it and said he liked Atsumu’s shirt, then Atsumu was declaring their engagement to everyone. I thought I was going to have to fight Takahiro-kun for his son’s honor.”

Shinsuke watched him before sighing and glancing back at the twins. They had joined Azumane on the ground and were currently sharing pieces of muffin with him while Sugawara finished grabbing the fabric he’d actually come in for.

“I think Asahi’s already planning the wedding outfits,” Sugawara said breezily as he moved past and back to his customer.

“I’m not making enough money to deal with all of you at the same time.” Shinsuke said softly, wondering if this was going to be his life. 

Running after Akagi to keep him from accidentally traumatizing Shinsuke’s kids, or worse teaching them things to traumatize all of the adults in their life. Meanwhile, Sugawara had found Oikawa and was currently harassing him with a perfectly innocent smile while he tailored a customer’s pant leg. Azumane had grabbed his tablet and was sketching something out while Atsumu was being taught by his brother how to continue the endless braids on Azumane’s head.

In all honesty, a life like this… was a good one. The feeling was sweet, winding in Shinsuke’s stomach as he watched the scene and he wondered if that was why his grandmother had never given up on foster care. Children weren’t necessary for his life to be happy, he was happy before they had arrived and if they left he would still find his life fulfilling and what he wanted. Yet, they brought something new, something light that Shinsuke was hesitant to give up. He could nurture them, protect them, help them grow and the option was more enticing by the minute.

“Oh shit you’re smiling… I’m going to die… Goodbye my sweet ‘Mimi, goodbye my muscular boo Aran, farewell my darling nephews- Shinsuke where are you going? You know my dramatic monologue needs an audience. Don’t make me download TikTok to get attention, you know I’ll do it.” Akagi called softly as Shinsuke took the box of treats before turning and walking away, a fondly exasperated smile playing on his lips. Shinsuke raised a hand to dismiss his remarks, ignoring the whine that rose up.

“Go help one of the customers, I have kids to watch.” Shinsuke said, slipping into the office to watch Atsumu finish his first braid. It was terrible and unbalanced and Shinsuke was proud of him.

“Hey, did you want to meet the others and bring them their muffins?” Shinsuke asked the two of them, holding up Akagi’s box in explanation. Both of them lit up, smiling brightly as they nodded and reached their hands up eagerly for Shinsuke to take them.

The day passed rather quickly, especially after the length of the day before, and as seven o’clock hit Shinsuke was flipping off the last light in the shop. Azumane and Sugawara had left only a few minutes before and Akaashi had escaped a few hours ago. Oikawa was still on the phone with someone but he gave Shinsuke a thumbs up and mimed locking the door as he passed.

Atsumu had already snuck back into the house and was curled up on the couch with Kitty as he played through ‘Spyro’. Osamu on the other hand, had decided he was in charge of Akagi for the day and was enjoying bossing him around.

Still, Shinsuke hadn’t expected to walk into the office between the two buildings to see Akagi on the floor and Osamu in front of him. Osamu was doing his absolute best to explain how to draw a flower for a card and Akagi was either intentionally harassing him or genuinely had no idea what he was doing. Shinsuke watched from the doorway for a moment before deciding it was a little bit of both.

More than a few doodles decorated the floor, markers and crayons laying beside both of their knees while they leaned over Akagi’s current project. Each one was decorated with rather… adorable characters for ‘cheer up’ and ‘you’re doing great’. Shinsuke honestly had no idea what it was for or why Osamu was making Akagi make them but as long as they were having fun he wasn’t going to say anything.

“No, no, you have to make petals- Shinsuke-san!” Osamu chirped as he felt eyes on his back and turned to see him. He grinned, a bright and free smile, and pointed at Akagi who was still just drawing lines on his paper.

“We’re making cards for Azumane! So when he gets scared he can look at these and know it’s okay!” Osamu explained and Shinsuke’s heart melted. He moved over, gently mussing the hair and trying not to give in to the urge to kiss his head.

“That’s great, Osamu. Will you be helping me with dinner tonight as well?” He asked, heart swelling at the way Osamu’s eyes lit up and the child twisted to grab ahold of his hand.

“Can I?”

“Of course. But you need to clean up all of this before we can. So why don’t you help Akagi clean up and then we can get started?” Shinsuke offered and Osamu nodded. He turned to Akagi, hands on his hips.

“C’mon Oji-san! Let’s get this taken care of! Then I can show you how to cook so you’re not hungry anymore.”

Shinsuke laughed softly, making his way inside as Akagi insisted he knew how to cook. Between himself and Osamu, Akagi might actually leave the country with basic knowledge to feed himself instead of eating out constantly.

Shinsuke glanced over at the couch as he walked in, noting Atsumu’s curled-up position. As attached to his brother as he was, Atsumu hadn’t really branched out much and didn’t seem to connect with people as well as his brother. Even with his comment about marriage (though Shinsuke still thought it was rather cute he had forgotten that money was a thing that he could use to buy pastries and instead skipped straight to marriage) he hadn’t brought up Shinji-kun or the bakery again all day.

“Do you mind if I sit with you?” Shinsuke asked softly, waiting for Atsumu’s nervous glance and jerky head nod. “Thank you, Atsumu… Can I check on your cheek?”

This time Atsumu fully froze, pressing the pause button on the game. His eyes darted to Shinsuke before he slowly nodded his head, anxiety clear in his gaze. Despite seeming to finally relax and branch out, Atsumu wasn’t actually asking for what he wanted. Instead he was letting his brother lead them around and following along happily with whatever adult offered him something.

Shinsuke moved closer until he could gently tilt up the child’s head, looking over the dark purple skin carefully. Atsumu’s eye didn’t seem affected by it and it was healing well for only being the second day. Though Shinsuke could see that it was slightly swollen, the skin around it pink and irritated like someone had been prodding it.

“Does it hurt much?” Shinsuke asked as he pulled his hand back with a quiet thank you.

“I’ve had worse.” Atsumu said and Shinsuke noticed he didn’t answer the question. Atsumu turned his head away as Shinsuke tried to look closer, a frown on his own lips.

“Atsumu, were you touching it?” He kept his voice light and gentle so Atsumu wouldn’t think he was in trouble. Regardless the child flinched subtly, fingers grasping the controller tighter.

“The… the people in the shop… kept staring…” Atsumu confessed after a few heartbeats, shaking slightly. “I wanted to make them go away but… It just… made it worse…”

Shinsuke stared at him for a moment, feeling guilty for not noticing at all. Of course Atsumu would have been self conscious about his face especially with the memory of how it happened so fresh in his memory. 

“Why didn't you say anything?” Shinsuke regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Of course Atsumu hadn’t said anything. He didn’t know he could trust anyone yet, it was only the second day there was no way he would have warmed up so quickly with his past.

Atsumu froze, shaking slightly and Shinsuke realized he was trying to hold his breath before he started crying. His mind blanked for a second before he rapidly told himself to calm down and instead focused on Atsumu.

“I’m sorry Atsumu. It’s alright if you don’t want to tell me things, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise…” Shinsuke started but it was clear that it wasn’t helping when Atsumu shook again with a ragged breath. “Atsumu…”

Shinsuke licked his lips, trying to think of how to calm him down before Osamu and Akagi finished. He didn’t want Atsumu shutting himself off to everyone to keep his brother happy and he definitely didn’t want Osamu to pick up on his brother’s panic and leave him with two anxious kids to calm down.

“Atsumu,” he started again letting his voice soften until it was near a whisper, “it’s alright. I’m sorry they were staring at you, next time you can come back inside if you want. I’m sorry I didn’t notice, I should have been there to help you. I’m very sorry I didn’t protect you.”

Atsumu’s gaze shot to him, once, twice, three times. The tiniest tears were forming at the edge of his eyes at his panic before confusion started to build instead. His mouth moved without words, and his eyes danced around the room. His fingers tapped at the controller for a moment before he finally seemed to be able to come back to himself.

“What…” His voice was a whisper and Shinsuke regretted not watching his words better. “Why… Why are you sorry?”

“Atsumu, it scared you right? Made you upset that they stared?” Shinsuke waited for the inevitable nod before continuing. “I should have stopped that but I didn’t realize it was happening. It’s my fault for not protecting you… Atsumu… A parent is supposed to protect you, I should have let you know you were allowed to leave earlier or let you know you could have stayed right next to me. And for that I’m sorry. The bruises on your face won’t go away by poking at them, they’ll just hurt worse and now it’s because I failed you. I’m sorry, Atsumu. I hope you can forgive me.”

Atsumu wasn’t able to speak, he just stared at Shinsuke. Choked noises came from his throat but no words escaped as he looked on with confusion and anxiety. The child swallowed, looking away a second later before rapidly nodding his head.

The only other time any adult had ever apologized had been when Kenma-kun said sorry for his game music being loud back at the police station. No adult had ever apologized to Atsumu for messing up and certainly none of his foster parents had ever bothered to ask him to forgive them.

Atsumu had no idea what to do with the knowledge or how to act. Did he say yes? Did he hug Shinsuke? Did he say sorry back? Cry? Smile?

He put the controller down slowly beside him, biting his lip as he turned to look more fully at Shinsuke. His foster parent actually looked remorseful, like he did really feel bad for not noticing Atsumu’s problem. Atsumu wasn’t really sure how to tell him that he was good at hiding it, and he had a feeling that would just make Shinsuke sad again. After all… Parents were supposed to love their kids right? Being hurt would make a parent sad and Shinsuke had said...

“You… Said...parent…” Atsumu said softly, flinching internally as Shinsuke blinked at him. He meant foster parent, of course he did. Atsumu shook his head, shoving away the hope and the heartache that was taking its place.

“It’s okay…” Atsumu said quickly as Shinsuke opened his mouth to say something. “Really… it’s okay. I… I… I’ll leave, next time.”

Shinsuke hesitated, wanting to push further but this wasn’t a teenager. This was a scared six year old who didn’t have the tools or the emotional maturity to talk through all of this in one sitting. They’d have to work at it. Together.

“Only if you want to.” Shinsuke murmured, tilting his head to look at the bruises again. “I’ll go get an ice pack for the swelling alright?”

Atsumu nodded, letting his gaze fall to the couch when Shinsuke left. He should have known better than to think Shinsuke actually thought of himself as their parent. He must have meant whichever parents decided to adopt them, if any did.

Yet….

Shinsuke-san was  _ kind _ , was it bad of Atsumu to wish Shinsuke was his parent? That Shinsuke would decide to keep them after all instead of passing them off like a baton? Was Atsumu a bad person for not wanting Shinsuke to be disappointed in him for being weak? Was he betraying his future parents by wanting Shinsuke to stay with him and Osamu?

He jumped as he felt Shinsuke sitting down again, looking up to see him offering an ice pack in one hand and… The fish crackers that Atsumu had asked for at the store.

Shinsuke’s blank face softened and Atsumu was starting to realize that Shinsuke wasn’t blank so much as… quiet. You had to look further than just his frown to know what he was thinking.

“You didn’t eat much at lunch since you ate so many muffins, so I thought you might like them.” Shinsuke explained as he reached forward and placed the ice pack gently over Atsumu’s bruise. Atsumu shook slightly, the words escaping him again but Shinsuke didn’t seem to mind as he ruffled his hair.

“Are you okay? You just have to nod or shake your head, okay?” Shinsuke said, the corners of his lips lifting as Atsumu nodded his head and moved to hold the pack on his face. Shinsuke pushed off the couch after opening the box, turning back towards the shop.

“I’m going to go see what’s taking Osamu and Akagi so long okay?” He explained, moving a few steps towards the door. He glanced back when a soft noise came from Atsumu, taking in the blinking eyes that lingered on the spot beside him.

Atsumu didn’t want to be alone again. Part of him hated it, he’d only had Osamu for years. Why was it different now? Part of him wanted to call Shinsuke back, ask if he was allowed a hug… Ask if he could stay a little while longer so Atsumu could pretend Shinsuke cared about him more than the money, more than because a friend asked. So Atsumu could pretend a little longer he was wanted.

“Hey Atsumu?” Shinsuke called, waiting until he glanced up to make sure he heard. “After dinner, would you be okay with showing me how to play that minecraft game?”

Atsumu’s eyes lit up immediately and he nodded, the barest hint of a grin growing on his face. Shinsuke couldn’t help but smile back, finally turning to look for his wayward sons that probably were covering his walls in paint. 

They had some more work to do. A lot more work really, but Atsumu was smiling and Osamu’s laughter was echoing from the office. Shinsuke couldn’t help but think that this was a very good life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is officially the shortest chapter lol. We're going to start dipping into more Osamu and Atsumu than Shinsuke POVs now and the days are going to be going by faster, theres only so many times I can describe breakfast before y'all will start to hate me. The boys will be going to school and making friends and they have a lot more trouble coming but also a lot more hugs.  
> Should I do any chapters of Aran or Akagi's POV? Is anyone interested in Shinsuke's life outside the boys? Harassing and being harassed by Azumane and Oikawa respectively? Different things he does in his daily life that the boys have made him put on hold? Let me know!  
> Come talk with me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji, I have no job till June so I'm on way too often and I will talk to you about anything.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aran's POV as chosen by my twitter poll and introducing Suna Rintaro and Ginjima Hitoshi! We'll get some more of them when the boys start school. I was planning on making the dinner tonight and then things,,, happened. So I'll keep writing it later and I might have an update midweek otherwise I'll see you next Saturday

“I know for a fact that you’re not supposed to be here,” Aran said, barely glancing over at the pair of six year olds who had slipped through the doors of the gym. One of them shied away, looking over at the floor as his fingers curled in his friend’s shirt. The other just shrugged, messy black hair falling in his eyes.

“Hitoshi’s parents said they don’t care,” The boy said, pushing his hair back. 

“Which is why I was talking to you.” Aran tossed the volleyball towards the middle schooler server and turned to face the two newcomers. “Rin-kun, your parents said you weren’t supposed to come here anymore because it’s too far from home.”

“My parents only said that because you asked them. They won’t be home until after ten anyways,” Rintaro shrugged, brushing his messy hair out of his face again. “If you call them they’ll say ‘Uh huh, mmm, that’s fine, Rintaro’s very mature for his age he knows how to get home… I have to get back to work’ and then hang up on you. Well… If you can actually get a hold of them.”

“You know I still have to call them though… Go sit with Lady and if they say no, I’m walking you back home.”

Rintaro hesitated for a moment before he glanced at Hitoshi’s rather worried stare drilling into Aran’s chest.

“Call my parents all you want… but don’t blame Hitoshi-kun, he hasn’t done anything wrong. His parents really don’t care, they’re gone by the time he gets home so they said as long as he’s home before curfew it’s fine. He didn’t do anything wrong.” Rintaro’s back seemed to crack with the force of him standing up straight, eyes like daggers waiting to strike if Aran seemed to turn against his friend in any way.

“I know. Hitoshi’s not in trouble Rintaro-kun. You’re the one disobeying your parents. I’m going to talk with them and see what they want to do, they’ll decide if you need to go home or not. Now, go sit with Lady.” Aran didn’t let his voice betray his true emotions, waiting until the two turned to make their way to the corner of the gym where Aran’s dog was watching the current game beside the open doors leading to the outside arena. Rintaro just looked vaguely annoyed, not that Aran could really blame him.

Suna Rintaro had been trying to sneak into the middle-schools after school clubs for a month now. Often dragging his best friend Ginjima Hitoshi along with him. Last week Aran had heard from the Kendo instructor that Rinataro had been found showing off perfectly executed moves to Hitoshi with a stolen bamboo sword. He’d been impressed enough he hadn’t actually punished Rintaro but he had been banned from the building with an offer to join them when he was  _ actually _ in middle school.

The week before that Rintaro had been hauled out of the tea ceremony club for pointing out that the instructor had actually swapped three parts around. Hitoshi begging for his friend had been the only thing that had kept him from being marked for that one.

Each time his parents had been called and each time they had dismissed it, insisting Rintaro wouldn’t do it again and he was just bored. True though that was, it didn’t help that now Rintaro was trying to play volleyball when he was too young to have the proper muscles for it and had no formal training. When Aran had called when the black haired child first appeared with a volleyball in hand, his parents had finally seemed to take him seriously and ordered Rintaro home and said they didn’t want him anywhere near the middle school.

That had lasted only two days.

Aran kept his eye on the two, watching them take a seat beside Lady and stroke through her fur. He dialed the number he had and waited for them to answer while watching Hitoshi pick out grass from the dog’s fur.

True to Rintaro’s statement, his parents had completely forgotten about the talking they had given him and quickly insisted it was fine as long as Rintaro wasn’t getting into trouble. Which… Aran could admit Rintaro hadn’t  _ actually _ done anything wrong, he simply happened to be where he shouldn’t. As long as Rintaro was careful and didn’t push himself or Hitoshi… Aran could survive letting them join in on some practices as long as his actual club wasn’t bothered, but he had a duty to make sure they were properly trained and didn’t hurt themselves and that came before teaching Rintaro and Hitoshi.

He hung up the phone with a quick thanks and slipped it back into his pocket.

“Yoshimoto! Keep your arms up, the ball won’t hit your face,” He called, the child squeaking out an agreement before he moved back into position to block again. “Nakamura, remember accuracy comes before power. If you can get it in between two players that’s better than blowing it out of bounds, but you’re doing good.”

He watched the game for a second longer before making his way towards Rinataro and Hitoshi who were now watching him with apprehension. He squatted next to them, reaching out to scratch Lady’s ears gently as the poodle yawned and laid her head on the floor.

“If you listen to me, I’ll let you two stay here and teach you how to play. But I don’t want either of you trying to keep up with them, got it? They’re almost twice your age and their bodies are stronger, you’ll get hurt if you try to push yourself.” He said, looking directly at Rintaro who quickly looked away before nodding. “I mean it. If you want to have fun, we can lower the net and teach you, but no trying to play with their weights or run ten miles.”

Rintaro shuddered, shaking his head quickly. Aran glanced over at Hitoshi to see him doing the same thing.

They were probably just bored out of their minds. They weren’t bothering anyone, so as long as they wanted to play Aran couldn’t turn them away. After all, it was never too early to learn the basics of the game.

“Good… Now c’mon, next time bring gym clothes,” He ordered, hustling them over towards the edge of the net. The libero was holding the ball hostage as Aran guided the much smaller children closer. Two more students were holding him down attempting to get the ball back and the shrieks of laughter echoed in the gym, Aran just shook his head fondly and whistled for their attention.

“Line up! These two are going to be joining us today, maybe more. So I expect you all to be on your best behavior and no wild moves,” Aran glanced over at Nakamura who immediately looked away, “they’re newbies so we’re going to be teaching them the rules okay?”

A series of cheers rose up from Aran’s club, excited about the prospect of getting an easier day for Friday. He shook his head with an internal laugh. If anyone had recommended an easy day to him when he was in middle school, he would have stared at them like they were crazy. How else would he become the best?

Now, though, looking at the sea of children moving forward to introduce themselves he couldn’t help but want to give them a little bit more fun before they started to think about careers and the rest of their lives.

“This is why you’re single,” Rintaro snapped after the final game ended and he was breathing heavy as he tried to drain the last few drops out of his bottle. Aran couldn’t help but quirk an eyebrow, that wasn’t really an elementary kid thing to say, Rintaro shouldn’t have known he wasn’t married anyways.

“Oh? Because I spend every day chasing after kids like yourself who don’t know the meaning of rules or consequences?”

“I know rules!” Rintaro spun so quickly Aran was taken aback, neither of them noticed the bottle falling to the floor. “I don’t know what… con… the other thing is but I know what rules are. They’re stupid things adults make up so they don’t have to deal with me. Like that only older kids get to do things, or that I can’t bother my parents with questions, or that I’m supposed to be quiet when adults are talking. So what! I want to talk too! You don’t get to tell me anything!”

The fire in his eyes made Aran blink quickly, before Hitoshi was hurrying to Rintaro’s side and whispering in his ear. Instantly Rintaro’s ire slipped away and he dropped his head down.

“Please don’t be mad at him Ojiro-san,” Hitoshi bowed his back, smiling softly up at Aran. “He just repeats what his Okaa-san says, he doesn’t mean it. I’m sorry. He just… gets angry.”

“Sorry, Ojiro-san… I don’t know if you’re single… S’just what my Okaa-san says. Sorry.” Rintaro said again, his tone clipped and formal. Not for the first time, Aran wondered if his family came from old money or business or if they were truly that traditional that Rintaro wouldn’t use a more familial term.

“Consequences,” Aran started slowly as he leaned down to grab the bottle and press it back into his hand, “are what happens when you break rules or do something bad. You didn’t get in trouble when you stole the Kondo sword, being told to come back when you can join isn’t a punishment Rintaro-kun. Tanaka-san would have been well within his right to ban you even when you were old enough, but he didn’t. So you didn’t have any consequences, understand?”

Rintaro glanced up at him, taking the bottle quietly before slowly nodding.

“Yes sir… So… What are my con… conse… consecu… consequences for today?” Rintaro’s voice was drained, he looked far more tired than any six year old had any right to be. A flash of Osamu and Atsumu’s own faces made their way into Aran’s mind and his heart softened.

Part of him wanted an actual punishment for Rintaro, to show him that boundaries existed that his parents couldn’t weasel him out of. Keeping him from the court for a few days, or calling his homeroom teacher to walk him home personally, nothing too drastic but enough to show him that rules would be enforced, especially safety ones. However, Aran thought that Rintaro  _ did _ understand that he would get in trouble for things. It just seemed the only way anyone other than Hitoshi paid attention to him was if he was in trouble, and the last thing Aran wanted to do was continue that cycle.

“You don’t get to hold onto Lady’s leash. Hitoshi? You wanted to walk her right? Go get her up.” Aran nodded over at the poodle who’s tail started to thump loudly. Hitoshi lit up, quickly running towards the dog whose tail only got faster while Rintaro’s face twisted into a pout.

“But Ojiro-san-” He started to whine only to stop, looking down again like he’d been properly chastised for once.

“Mmhmm, I’m walking you two home. So I know  _ you _ ,” Rintaro rolled his eyes at the comment, “actually go home. Rules aren’t for avoiding you Rintaro-kun. I don’t know about the ones for your parents, but the others are to look out for you. You see how sore your arms are? You only did a little bit of the work the other boys did. You have to work up to that, while your body’s getting stronger. Then, you can block all of them.” 

Rintaro rocked back and forth, lips twisting into multiple increasingly dramatic pouts before finally settling on a hopeful look. Lady’s nose greeted Aran’s elbow as Hitoshi stepped up beside them, smiling brightly at them.

“You… think I can Ojiro-san?” Rintaro said slowly, one hand reaching out to pat at Lady’s snout. “Block other’s spikes?”

“Yes I do. But you have to train and be careful as your body gets stronger. Push it too hard and you won’t be able to play at all.” Aran straightened up, smiling down at the two. “Now come on, there’s a coffee shop around the corner. I can get you some hot chocolate to drink on the way home okay?”

“I’m just saying- Fuck, Iwaizumi, don’t kill me- that if this was back before I left the country then it would be a different story.” Aran stared at the two extra twenty-five pound weights Iwaizumi was carrying over. “If you don’t want to listen to me complain, you could have just told me to shut up.”

Iwaizumi laughed, the personal trainer rolling his eyes as he slid the weights onto the bar. He hooked them into place before moving behind Aran to spot him as Aran laid back on the work out bench and grasped the bar.

“C’mon, you said you wanted to work your shoulder up to where it was. You’ve been slacking on it, your physical therapist called me the other night. Shoulda told you that Ennoshita knows me personally from our college days. Now, tell me again who this about…. Kita? Right?” He asked, tapping Aran’s shoulder to tell him to move. Aran shot him a glower that was met with a smooth eyebrow before he started to lift the bar.

“Yeah Kita… We went to highschool together… He was my volleyball captain, though he wasn’t on the court much. Don’t think he ever flubbed a receive or a serve though…” Aran grunted as he pushed the bar up and pulled it back down to his chest. “We were really close in highschool and then out of it… till I went out of the country three years ago...well actually more like six… I was… I mean…”

Hajime nodded understandingly, hands ready to grab the bar if Aran started to shake.

“I realized I was in love with him at the end of highschool but I was going to the other end of the country to join a team… We talked constantly and then we… grew apart. He was taking over his parent’s old business when his aunt passed away and I was going out of the country constantly to play games. Then I got recruited to actually join outside of the country… I’m pretty sure this constitutes as inhumane torture.” Aran groaned as he finished his first rep and put the bar back down. Iwaizumi just looked amused as he patted his shoulder.

“All torture is inhumane, but I never said I was humane. Now come on, do your shoulder stretches, tell me if anything hurts.” Iwaizumi hummed, nodding along as Aran stood and moved to the corner wall so he could lean on it as he stretched. He pressed a palm flat against the wall, leaning forward until his chest pressed against the corner and started to slowly walk his arm up the wall.

“My ego hurts.”

“Oh so I’m doing my job then.” Iwaizumi laughed, turning away to add more weights to the bar for squats. “Keep going, I’m actually really interested in how this ends. My boyfriend had a similar issue, but he just screamed that he loved me every time we video chatted so it ended up working out.”

“Oh… I’m pretty sure Shinsuke would have my head… or call a doctor. It sounds like something Michinari would do to be honest.” Aran grunted as his arm reached the furthest point and he held it still. “Anyways, we went from seeing each other every month or so and talking multiple times a week to… seeing each other once a year for the team reunion… Then I got injured blah, blah, and came home and realized… Is it stupid? Am I stupid for still being in love with him.”

He let his arm fall, giving himself a few seconds to breathe before moving to the now benchless workout set. He slid under the bar, letting it settle on his shoulders before straightening and stepping back.

“Like… It’s been six years since I could say I really knew him… He’s changed, I could see that just the other night… Not dramatically, but he’s… softer. Before he was all hard edges and brutal honesty which was great it was him, but it’s tempered… he’s still  _ him _ but he’s different. And… I know I’m an idiot but I’m still in love with him… But it’s been so long since we were close, can I even call that love at this point? Or am I just… pining after a past long gone?”

“Hmm,” Iwaizumi’s voice nearly made him jump, but he sounded like he was genuinely thinking it over. “I would say… you’re still in love with the guy you  _ knew _ but now it’s time to find out if you can fall in love with the guy he  _ is _ . You’re already halfway there, you know he’s different and you still sound just as gay as my boyfriend. You’ll be fine.”

“I mentioned he has kids right?”

Iwaizumi froze before relaxing with a soft snort.

“No, no you didn’t. But honestly that’s hilarious, you love kids and now your dream guy comes with them. Who did you say this was again? Kita… Shin… Shinsuke? I think I know him. Well, I know a Shinsuke and he just started fostering kids.”

“Do you just know everyone in town?” Aran snorted, pulling out of a squat as Iwaizumi shrugged.

“Basically, when you meet my boyfriend you’ll understand. Or when he meets you, he’ll be the one with stupid hair shaking Shinsuke and screaming while pointing at you.” Iwaizumi laughed, but his eyes were filled with affection and the curve of his lips couldn’t quite lose the smile.

“You always call him, ‘my boyfriend’ and never by his name… Is there a reason or are we not close enough friends for that?”

“I’ve been torturing you for nearly half a year, I think we’re good enough friends… though don’t tell my other clients. It’s only because you work with me… I call him that because his name is pretty well known and he doesn't like the publicity as much anymore. Once you see him you’ll know instantly who he is, but until then it’s up to him to open that can of worms. But if you know Shinsuke you’ll probably meet him pretty soon.” Iwaizumi said cryptically and Aran wondered if he just had a bad habit of only making friends with the weird kids.

“Yeah sure… Ah, can you grab my phone?” Aran asked as the familiar ringtone played through the empty weight room. Iwaizumi quirked an eyebrow but moved over to the water bottle to grab it and tossed it over as Aran slipped out from under the bar.

**Shinsuke-kun**

The contact informed him, an old photo of Shinsuke pressed between the four old teammates taking over his screen. Aran glanced up at Iwaizumi who shrugged.

“It counts as your break.” Was all the trainer said before he moved to wipe down the wall and the bar.

Aran rolled his eyes back at him, stepping to the side and answering.

“Aran.” Shinsuke greeted and Aran knew he looked like a fool smiling into his phone. He couldn’t help it. He’d missed his best friend, crush or not he’d been way too alone especially after Oikawa had retired early two years ago after his friend’s sister died and left him with a kid and Oikawa came home to help.

“Shinsuke.” Aran hummed back, listening to the sounds of the twins arguing in the back. 

“Am I interrupting you? I probably should have texted.”

“Oh? No no, it’s perfectly fine. You’re perfectly fine. I really don’t mind you calling at all.” Aran made a horrified face to the wall as he stumbled over the simple words. This was ridiculous, it was a phone call not an audition.

“Oh… That’s good. Sorry… Osamu, stop putting the controller in your brother’s pants… No that doesn’t mean put the bag of crackers in there either. I will take away the controller… thank you. Don’t be rude to your brother…. Sorry the boys have finally decided they’re allowed to play with each other and apparently Osamu’s the sneaky one- Osamu! Where did you even get the chopsticks? Go put them away and sit on the armchair, no more minecraft until you apologize to your brother-without laughing. Yeah, shoo… In the sink Osamu they were in your brother’s hair, little one, they need washing… Well that was a mistake.” Shinsuke sighed, but it was endlessly fond even softer than when Akagi was going wild.

Aran could hear Osamu singing about dirty hair in the background before Shinsuke finally ordered him to the chair again. Shinsuke’s voice didn’t change though, he didn’t sound angry or annoyed and Aran couldn’t help but be impressed at his control. They needed discipline but not anger, and Shinsuke was able to do so without panicking them. He should introduce him to Rintaro.

“Sorry, I thought they were distracted but apparently Osamu was just waiting for me to turn away.”

“Don’t apologize, I don’t mind. They’re kids, they’re going to disobey sometimes. Besides, they’re sweet.” Aran soothed the hint of worry in Shinsuke’s tone, grateful that even after all these years he still knew the intricate sounds of Shinsuke’s tones.

“I’m glad you think so...I was going to ask…” There was a strange hesitance to his voice, it pitched just a little sweeter into something Aran couldn’t quite identify. “Did you want to come over for dinner tonight? I have a roast slow cooking so it should be done around seven or eight… I’d like to see you again.”

Aran’s heart froze and jumped into his throat at the exact same time. He was way too gay for this. Slowly he nodded his head before realizing Shinsuke couldn’t see him.

“Yeah of course, I’d love to! Uh… I do have to walk Lady, my dog, at eight. So I might be a little late, she doesn’t like changes to her routine.”

“You have a dog?” Shinsuke was surprised but Aran couldn’t blame him. He didn’t really talk about Lady much, keeping more private information close.

“Yes, a poodle. Got her when I was overseas.”

“Ah…” There was a hearty pause and Aran half expected to hear Atsumu screaming about chopsticks in his hair again before Shinsuke returned. “Is she good with kids?”

“....Kita Shinsuke are you trying to get me to bring my dog over so you can meet her?” Aran let out a warm laugh, mentally seeing Shinsuke’s reddening cheeks. He had forgotten how much Shinsuke loved dogs, having never got one in case his Grandmother moved in with him.

“... Yes.” Shinsuke said a heartbeat later, not a hint of shame in his voice. “I haven’t played with a dog in far too long.” 

“Alright, I’ll bring Lady over. She’s great with kids, but she probably won’t do much but lay down until she gets used to your place.”

“Then you can bring her over often.” Shinsuke said quickly and Aran snorted again.

“Are you actually interested in me or the dog?”

“Well… I suppose you’ll have to come over and find out.” If it had been anyone else, Aran would have said Shinsuke sounded flirty. That couldn’t be right though, Shinsuke didn’t flirt. Right? Aran couldn’t be that lucky.

“I guess I will… Iwaizumi is glaring at me, I have to go… I’ll see you tonight then?” Aran asked softly.

“I’ll see you tonight… Atsumu do not destroy his minecraft house,” Shinsuke’s voice faded as the call ended but Aran swore he could hear a smile in his voice. 

His own heart warmed at the quiet noises from the twins before the phone went silent. Shinsuke really started his own family, no matter what he said Aran knew he was keeping the boys. Shinsuke was far too attached to them already. Aran supposed that just meant that he had three hearts to win over instead of just one.

He turned back to Iwaizumi.

“I’m pathetically in love already. If he doesn’t adopt the boys I will and I haven’t even known them a week.”

“Write a book, you might get a tear from me.” Iwaizumi laughed, patting the weights next to him. “Let’s keep going before you melt into a puddle of feelings.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk with me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably my least favorite chapter, I'm sorry guys ;v; with everything going on I didn't have a lot of energy for it but I think I still got down what needed to be said. Hope you enjoy!  
> Please if you can donate to bail bonds or to any of the fundraisers for BLM do so, they need all the support they can get right now and please remember to stay safe and take care of your mental health as well!

Aran shifted in the doorway, Lady waiting patiently beside him. She lifted a paw and placed it on the final step before turning to look at her owner in confusion. The softest whine came from her throat as she cocked her head at him.

“Shush, I’m panicking.” Aran told her quickly, not caring that she couldn’t understand him. The only other person he could talk to was Kiryuu and he was in the middle of a game in Italy and also would spend the entire time laughing at Aran’s cowardice.

She sniffled at his leg, putting her paw back down and Aran knew he was being a baby. He was fine, he could definitely go have a normal dinner with his crush and his kids. He was a perfectly well functioning adult.

“I’m going to mess this up so bad,” He hummed, reaching out and knocking on the door.

It opened in seconds and Aran was treated to the sight of Shinsuke with the curve of a smile already in place. He was only in a shirt and slacks but Aran couldn’t help but think he was beautiful, especially when his silver eyes lit up at the sight of Lady.

“Hello, you must be Lady,” Shinsuke greeted, his voice soft and quiet as he offered his hand for her to sniff at. Her tail thumped against Aran’s leg but he didn’t say anything to her, amused by how excited she was at meeting someone new.

“Such a pretty girl,” Shinsuke cooed and Aran’s hand went for his phone almost immediately. He had never thought Shinsuke was the type to talk to animals like babies and he definitely wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to share it with Akagi.

He swiped his thumb across the screen, hitting record as Shinsuke leaned forward to kiss Lady’s head. She woofed softly, tilting her head down to try and nose at his shirt curiously. Shinsuke didn’t seem to mind as he cooed again at her, gently scratching through her curly fur.

Aran glanced through the doorway, spotting the twins. He waved his free hand at him, smiling a little as Osamu perked up and waved back enthusiastically. Atsumu, on the other hand, seemed to eye him suspiciously and Aran wondered if he’d done something wrong. It was possible, or perhaps Atsumu just wasn’t used to him yet.

“Okay, okay, I’m seriously starting to worry you’re going to steal my dog, Shinsuke.” Aran let his gaze drop back down to Shinsuke only to find the man had pulled Lady onto his lap and was blinking at him far too innocently.

“Whatever do you mean? I’m simply being nice.” Shinsuke stated in a monotone, before laying his chin on Lady’s head and both of them stared up at Aran.

_ My heart can’t take this, I’m going to die of cute and Akagi’s going to steal all my stuff _ , Aran thought, though he figured dying because Shinsuke was being cute was not a bad way to go. He reached down and patted Lady’s head, leaving Shinsuke to deal with her tail attempting to take down his house and stepped around him as he saved the video and sent a copy to Akagi.

“Osamu-kun, Atsumu-kun,” He greeted, smiling down at them. Osamu seemed to almost wiggle with excitement, bouncing on his heels as he gave a half bow and scurried over to him.

“Aran-kun! Come here! Come here!” The child ordered and Aran nodded, letting himself be dragged further into the kitchen the moment Osamu’s hands landed on his own much larger one.

“I made this, try it? I even was given a spoon!” Osamu chirped, blinking up at him with wide eyes as he pointed up at the slow cooker and tried patting the too tall counter edge for the spoon.

For a moment Aran was worried he was going to be poisoned, then he figured if Shinsuke hadn’t run in to save him he was probably fine. Or this was actually a plot to steal his dog. Aran eyed Shinsuke’s back for a moment before tossing the thought away, that was a more Omimi move after all.

He pulled the lid from the pot, stirring it once before grabbing the spoon and scooping some up. The burst of flavor took him with surprise and he turned wide eyed to look back down at Osamu.

“ _ You made this _ ?”

Osamu nodded, lips pinched together and a hopeful look in his eye as he bounced beside the counter. He was already a far cry from the quiet scared kid who’d been hiding from his brother on Shinsuke’s leg at the beginning of the week. There was no fear in his eyes, no hesitance right now though Aran noticed he stayed further back from him then he had from Akagi.

“It’s amazing,” Aran said, placing the lid back on the slow cooker and cleaning the spoon before returning it to it’s spot on the counter.

“Shinsuke let me do it all on my own from the recipe!” Osamu said, preening under the kind attention. His hands clapped together with delight, grinning broadly and Aran couldn’t help but feel his heart melt a little.

“You did wonderful, Osamu. You should invite me over more so you can cook for me more often. You might even get me to like vegetables.” Aran said and something seemed to click in Osamu’s eyes. He gasped and stumbled back from behind the kitchen island until he could see Shinsuke again.

“Shinsuke-san! Can Aran stay forever?” He shouted across the room and Aran wasn’t sure if he wanted to die from embarrassment or from laughing at Osamu’s pure naivety. Shinsuke looked absolutely confused from where he was trying to hold Atsumu’s hand up to Lady’s nose.

“Uhm…” Shinsuke blinked over at Aran, curiosity clear in his gaze and Aran couldn’t help himself. He burst into laughter, reaching over to gently pat Osamu’s head when he looked over.

“I… Think Aran-kun has his own house… Why does he need to stay forever?” Shinsuke said slowly, guiding Atsumu’s hand to stroke over the dog’s ears. Lady seemed to be enjoying the double attention, though she was slowly trying to slip off of Shinsuke’s lap and onto Atsumu’s.

“How else am I supposed to cook for him?” Osamu explained, looking confused as to why Shinsuke would have to ask. “What if he’s not eating his vegetables and gets sick?”

Aran tried to pinch his lips shut but he couldn’t, Osamu was far too worried about Aran’s supposed health concerns. Another laugh slipped from his lips, before he finally had to turn away to hide his snorts. He reached back to pat Osamu on the shoulder so he wouldn’t feel like he was being mocked but he couldn’t stop the laughter from escaping.

“Osamu,” Shinsuke said fondly, shaking his head with the barest brush of a smile on his lips. “Aran will be fine, he knows how to eat his vegetables.”

“But if he doesn't like them, then he might not eat enough,” Osamu insisted, frowning over at his foster parent. “And then he won’t feel good and then he won’t come over anymore and I like Aran-kun.”

“Osamu…” Aran was touched, his heart already feeling like liquid at Osamu’s bright smile he gave when he saw Aran looking at him again.

“You hafta eat your vegetables, Aran-kun, you can’t be like Oji-san.” Osamu insisted to him, still smiling as he turned at the sound of footsteps. Shinsuke stepped up to him, reaching down to ruffle his hair which Osamu accepted with an excited laugh. Behind him, Atsumu glared for half a second before looking away again

“Aran-kun has his own home he has to go to, but what if he promises to come over more often so you can make sure he’s eating properly?” Shinsuke offered softly and Osamu seemed to think it over carefully, looking back and forth to both of them.

“Mmm… Okay, but you have to pinky promise Aran.” Osamu said, looking uncharacteristically serious as he turned to Aran, head pressed up into Shinsuke’s hand.

Aran held out his pinky, waiting for Osamu to curl his own pinky around it.

“I promise I’ll come over more,” Aran hummed, flashing a smile over to Shinsuke too. “And you can cook for me each time if you’d like.”

Osamu squealed with delight, nodding and finally releasing his hand and turning around looking for something. He tilted his head and moved around the island before he finally spotted Atsumu with Lady.

“ ‘Tsumu! Aran-kun’s coming over more.” He cheered, tilting his head when Atsumu just glanced over and then returned his attention back to the dog whose head was happily in his lap receiving attention. “ ‘Tsumu~”

Atsumu still didn’t look up, gently stroking over Lady’s side as her tail thumped happily on the ground. Osamu seemed to take it as a challenge and immediately started making his way over to him, plopping himself down beside his brother and pawing at his shoulder.

“ ‘Tsumu, ‘Tsumu. ‘Tsumu.” He chanted, only getting louder when Atsumu continued to ignore him.

“Sorry about him… He’s not… not quite used to other people yet,” Shinsuke murmured over to Aran as he moved to stand beside him and watch the boys. Aran’s entire right side seemed to light on fire the closer Shinsuke got until they were only centimeters apart and he had to hold himself back from leaning against him like it was high school all over again.

“I don’t mind, I know it’s going to take some time… How are you doing? Adjusting to this again?”

“Yeah… I mean…” Shinsuke took a moment to collect his thoughts before he turned to look at Aran. “It’s a little different, getting them up when I’m used to being at work but they’re smart and they like being able to visit and help around the store. But I think I’m doing okay… My only worry is for the boys when they leave I don’t want them to be hurt again.”

Aran crooked an eyebrow at him, giving in and pressing their arms together for a second letting his weight increase until an amused twitch appeared on Shinsuke’s lips.

“You could always adopt them yourself, Shinsuke,” Aran reminded him slowly, wondering if it was worth mentioning that if Shinsuke didn’t there was going to be a three way custody battle from his old team.

“Ah… Michinari said the same thing… But they need a lot of support, and I’m often at work. Even with them joining me on occasion, soon they will have school work on top of everything and I don’t want them to be neglected.” Shinsuke murmured, glancing at the whispering twins until he was sure they weren’t planning on running off with the dog.

“I don’t think they could be neglected with you, Shinsuke. In the end it’s your decision,” Aran finally said placatingly, “however, I think giving them up would hurt you more than you seem to think… But I haven’t seen you in a while so maybe I’m… maybe I’m just thinking of the old you.”

“I don’t think we’re very different, the me you knew and the me now…” Shinsuke spoke slowly, like he was piecing together a particularly difficult puzzle in his mind and Aran couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes darted over his face. “I still value your opinion, unlike Akagi you are not biased by who I have become and have a clearer picture of what you think I will be.”

“Michinari has been known to have smart thoughts now and again, so perhaps you  _ should _ listen to him. His opinion would probably be better than my own, especially if even I can tell you’re very happy to be caring for these boys completely.” Aran wondered often in his high school years if Shinsuke was aware of how stubborn he was. Most people didn’t realize it, seeming to think he was like water that flowed and changed direction constantly.

Aran always thought he was more like earth, standing strong even through wind and rain and absolutely refusing to move until you picked him apart. Even now, with something he so clearly wanted, Shinsuke was trying to hold onto the plan he had given himself for life as stubbornly as he had his own routine of cleaning the old gym. He would accept new facts for anything else, but trying to make him change his own decisions was a bit like pulling teeth.

Aran was well aware that the stubbornness didn’t bode well for himself. He’d allowed himself to fall out of touch and out of Shinsuke’s life and therefore out of his plan. Any hope for more than friendship was probably long since past and Aran had to come to terms with that as much as he didn’t want to. 

Though, being back with Shinsuke was enough now, just to see him again. Shinsuke was still his best friend first and that was the most important thing to Aran, anything else he could see how it came the closer they got to each other again.

“Mmm… Perhaps.” Shinsuke said, letting his gaze move back to the boys. “But whether or not I’m happy, my decision is solely based on how well they’ll be treated… I’ll have to speak with Oomimi about doing adoption interviews… If they leave my house I’d like for them to be going into a permanent home.”

Aran made an understanding noise, heart pounding when Shinsuke leaned back against him. He was sure Shinsuke could hear it but neither of them said anything more, just watched the two boys whisper as they pet through Lady’s fur.

“ ‘Tsumu, ‘Tsumu. ‘Tsumu.” Osamu’s chanting was going to drive Atsumu insane. He just wanted to sit here and pet the dog, was that too much to ask?

“What ‘Samu?” Atsumu finally snapped when his brother’s hand started to slap at his face instead of his arm.

“I  _ said _ Aran-kun’s coming over more.” Osamu chirped, half crawling over his brother to get a response.

“I heard ya.” Atsumu grumbled, shoving him off and turning his hands back to the soft curls of the dog on his lap.  _ She _ didn’t annoy him, and she didn’t want anything either.

Atsumu didn’t like Aran. Part of him knew he’d only met Aran once and the other part was only able to see that whenever Aran came around Shinsuke acted differently.

Even today, Shinsuke was standing and talking to him when he usually was with them. He wasn’t even  _ looking _ at them, he was too busy looking at  _ Aran _ of all people. He was talking softly too, almost whispering instead of his normal voice and it was… sweeter almost.

Atsumu didn’t like it. 

“Why aren’t you happy? Aran’s cool!” Osamu whined, as he tried to crawl over his brother again. “He’s tall and plays volleyball at the Olympics and he can teach us, remember Oji-san said he likes teaching kids and that he could teach us easy!”

“That would mean he has to like us first… Be nice to Lady, softer.” Atsumu ordered when Osamu had successfully sat on his knee and was leaning over to pat Lady's stomach. Osamu paused, watching Atsumu stroke her ears before trying to do the same.

“Well  _ I  _ think he likes us. He played minecraft with you and he was really nice at dinner last time… And he has Lady! He can’t be a bad guy if Lady likes him.” Osamu insisted, frowning at his brother’s shrug.

Atsumu always did this. He always looked at the worst side of things and waited for bad things to happen so he could say ‘I told you so’. Osamu didn’t want him to be right for once, but Atsumu was  _ always _ right. This time, that would mean Shinsuke didn’t actually care about them that he was going to give him away the first chance he had. Osamu really liked Shinsuke, he really liked his new uncles and his new family at the shop. He didn’t want to leave them again, not again.

“So? Don’t you remember Rika-san?” Atsumu grumbled and Osamu winced, his heart aching at the name.

Of course he remembered her. She was the first one to promise she was going to adopt them. They’d lived at her house for almost a year until…

“You thought Saito-san was nice until they started dating and she sent us away because he ‘wasn’t ready for kids’.” Atsumu continued, shoulders curling inward when he spoke. He still remembered how much she cried when she dropped them off at the foster home. It had only been two years ago and he hadn’t really understood what was happening until he saw Moniwa-san again.

Even then, he and Osamu had asked for her again and again. Until enough bloody lips and stinging faces had taught them not to ask about anyone or anything except to Moniwa-san. Atsumu didn’t want Shinsuke to be the same, but Aran looked at him like… like people did on tv when they were married, like Rika-san had looked at Saito-san. Which meant they’d be sent away soon… all over again.

“Aran-san is going to take Shinsuke-san away. Stop being stupid ‘Samu, they don’t want us, nobody ever wants us.” Atsumu hissed, his chest squeezing in pain. He didn’t  _ want _ to lose Shinsuke but it hurt more getting attached. Rika proved that. It was easier to get over if he just focused on the future no matter how much he hated being the kid nobody wanted, nobody was going to keep him and Osamu needed to understand that before… Before Shinsuke sent them away too.

“No!” Osamu barked, making Lady jolt as she scrambled to try and check on him. “No! It’s not happening. Not again. Shut up ‘Tsumu! Shut up!”

“ ‘Samu! I didn’t-”

Osamu was on his feet before he even realized, turning and barrelling forward until he hit something. A hand descended onto his back, gently rubbing in circles before a voice cut into the whirl of his mind.

“Woah, woah, Osamu, what’s wrong little one?” Shinsuke asked, slowly sliding down until Osamu could wrap his arms around his neck. “Osamu? You have to talk to me… Atsumu did you say something to your brother?”

There it was, the accusation. Atsumu was used to foster parents looking at him like he was an annoyance. Yet Shinsuke was still talking in his normal voice and he only looked confused, not angry or violent. Atsumu wasn’t sure how to take that, how was he supposed to react? Did he hide or cry? Shinsuke didn’t follow any of the patterns Atsumu knew so well from his foster parents before.

He stared at his crying brother for a second before turning away, shoulders hunched like he was waiting for a strike.

“Osamu, did Atsumu say something that upset you? I can’t help if I don’t understand.” Shinsuke tried to soothe the crying child but Osamu just shook his head, nothing coming from his mouth but soft choked cries. He glanced at Aran, wondering if he’d missed something but Aran looked just as confused as he did.

Carefully he picked Osamu up, letting him sob into his collar. He murmured quietly to him, trying to calm him down while watching Atsumu’s own shuddering shoulders. He couldn’t comfort both of them at once but Osamu was clearly much more of a wreck at the moment.

“Go sit down, let me see if I can talk to him.” Aran’s voice pulled him from his own thoughts and Shinsuke looked over at him when a hand landed on his own back.

“Thank you… C’mon Osamu, we’re going to sit on the couch okay?” Shinsuke murmured, barely getting a nod from the boy before he was gripping him tighter.

Aran waited until they were seated before he made his way towards Atsumu, only about a quarter of a plan formed in his head. If Atsumu told him to go away he would probably have to do it for lack of a better option.

“Atsumu?” He called softly as he moved to stand beside him. “Mind if I sit here?”

After a few seconds Atsumu shrugged and Aran let out a sigh of relief, moving to kneel beside him. Lady noticed him immediately and twisted onto her back only to fall so all four of her paws landed in his lap.

“Thank you honey, I appreciate that.” Aran said dryly, reaching down to stroke her fur while Atsumu seemed to stare at her shoulder vacantly. It felt stupid to ask if Atsumu was okay, after all if he was, they wouldn’t be having this conversation.

“Atsumu… can you tell me what just happened?” Aran asked slowly, watching the twitching fingers bury themselves in Lady’s fur. She lay completely still, as if she could tell how bad Atsumu was feeling.

“ ‘m sorry Aran-san.” Atsumu choked out after a minute.

“What are you apologizing for?”

“Bothering you and Shinsuke-san.” Atsumu’s hands seemed to shake a little more but his voice was perfectly even, soft and unthreatening like he was trying his best not to irritate Aran.

“You didn’t bother us. Something upset you and your brother and we’re worried is all. We just want to make sure you’re okay.” Aran said, watching Atsumu’s face for any sign that could help him understand exactly what was happening here. Atsumu’s eyes flickered over to the couch before they were down again, avoiding Aran as best as he could.

Aran tried to piece it together, Atsumu had been… defensive when he arrived but not unhappy. Where Osamu had been happy to see him, Atsumu didn’t seem to be particularly happy but he hadn’t been upset either. Atleast, not until Shinsuke had left him alone with Lady-

Ah.

“Atsumu, you know Shinsuke likes you more than he likes me right?” Aran said conversationally as if he was speaking to Akagi about lunch. Atsumu’s eyes shot to him immediately and Aran knew he’d hit the bulls-eye. Atsumu looked away again, shrugging his shoulders.

“Like, so much more than me. He only invited me tonight because he wanted to meet my dog.” Aran chuckled, trying to keep the air light. He could only barely remember his nieces and nephews’ own tantrums and what he needed to do to calm them down.

“... Shinsuke-san likes you.” Atsumu mumbled, not wanting to deal with false pity.

“Well yes, but Shinsuke-san also likes brussel sprouts,” Aran said, smiling at Atsumu’s grumpy glare, “and I can promise you he mostly likes me for my dog. But you know what he likes even more than Lady?”

He waited until Atsumu had finally turned to him, a six year old’s curiosity weakening him.

“You and Osamu.” There was no hesitation in Aran’s voice and Atsumu twisted to stare at him again.

Atsumu wasn’t sure if Aran was lying or not. He hadn’t said it like Saito had all those years ago, he wasn’t upset or annoyed, he said it like it was a simple fact of life and Atsumu had no idea how he was supposed to take that. In what world could Shinsuke care about them so much after only a week? 

Nobody wanted them, that was a fact Atsumu knew. Yet here Aran was, saying the complete opposite without a hint of a lie. Atsumu knew that at the end of the month he’d be shipped off to someone else's house, that it was stupid to think otherwise.

His gaze drifted to the couch, where Osamu was tiredly clinging to Shinsuke who was still quietly talking to him.

Atsumu’s chest ached at the sight. He’d done that. He’d hurt his brother this time and that was unforgivable, he had to make it right. Had to play nice, even if he didn’t want to. For his brother, he would do anything.

“Oh.” Atsumu finally said, slowly moving to his feet and staring at the ground. “Thank you Aran-kun.”

Aran watched him make his way towards the couch, stroking his dog as they watched him bow and murmur something to Shinsuke and Osamu. Shinsuke’s eyes met Aran’s for a moment before he was focusing on Atsumu again and slowly nodding. Atsumu’s head fell before Osamu was reaching out and shoving his chest gently. It only took a few seconds before they were squabbling in Shinsuke’s lap and he was arguing with both of them to knock it off and for a moment Atsumu was smiling again.

It faded again as Shinsuke pulled Osamu off of himself and escaped to the kitchen and Aran couldn’t help but think that Atsumu was going to shatter if anyone sent him away again. Or he would turn completely to ice.

“Aran?” Shinsuke called and he looked up, taking in the man he’d fallen in love with so long ago. The boys had taken their usual places on either side of them, Osamu’s hand clutching Shinsuke’s pant leg.

“Help the boys set up the table?” Shinsuke asked, turning away and walking to the table. Both of the twins turned to stare at him, and Aran remembered last time he’d helped set the table he’d been ‘killed’ by cushions. He stood and brushed the fur off his pants, unable to suppress a grin at Osamu’s happy cheer.

“C’mon Atsumu, it’ll all turn out well, you’ll see.” Aran said when he caught up with them, gently guiding him forward. He couldn’t say anything more to the doubtful look on Atsumu’s face but he could work with Shinsuke to prove it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dinner is a quiet affair after the emotions of the day so I didn't really think it needed to be written. Unless you guys really want to know what happened, next chapter is going to be the boys' first day at school.  
> Follow me on Twitter and chat with me @WatacchiShinji


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached 50k words holy Crap. I never thought it would be this long.  
> Just a quick translation note:  
> the aoba family refer to their fathers with specific words though they may occasionally switch them up when actively talking to that parent. I always hc Watari as half hindi and in this case it's his dad and Hajime as part Filipino and he actively speaks to his kids in tagalog.  
> Chichi: Japanese way to refer to your father. Refers to Takahiro  
> Baba: Hindi word for father. Refers to Issei  
> Papa: A popular term in multiple languages for father, especially Latin languages. Refers to Tooru  
> Tatay: Tagalog for father. Refers to Hajime

“I will be here to walk you home after school, then tomorrow you can start walking on your own,” Shinsuke was saying, but Osamu wasn’t really listening. Instead he was staring steadily at the building in front of him, trying to quell the nerves in his stomach.

Atsumu looked just as nervous as he reached out to grasp his brother’s sleeve, staring at Shinsuke as if hoping that Shinsuke would feel pity and let them spend another week at home. Shinsuke looked a little sad to see them go, but he just turned them towards the doors and waited for them to make their own way into the school.

“Swear you’ll come back for us?” Osamu blurted, staring up at him until Shinsuke crouched beside them. He reached out slowly, not looking annoyed or upset as he pulled them both in for a hug.

“I promise I will be right here when school ends, little one. Now, get to class, all the information is on your papers and if you need any help ask okay? Make sure you two behave, no fighting or throwing things at each other.” Shinsuke stood again, slowly, as they glanced at each other and started to walk off towards the school building.

They’d known they were going to school again, but still nothing could prepare them for realizing they were being separated across the room. It was better than being seperated by classroom, but Atsumu couldn’t help the panic that seized his chest and made him want to cry when the teacher held onto his shoulder and sent Osamu to the other side of the room. What if someone tried to bully him? What if he started crying and Atsumu couldn’t help?

“Is there something wrong, Atsumu-kun?” The teacher asked, a rather gentle looking woman who was getting on in years. Atsumu opened his mouth, ready to demand his brother back, when Shinsuke floated to the front of his mind.

‘Make sure you behave’ he’d said. How disappointed would he be if Atsumu threw a fit not twenty minutes into school? Instantly the fire in his chest was extinguished and replaced with cold ice as he shook his head. He wouldn’t be the one to make Osamu leave the first happy home he’d had in two years. They only had a month before they had to leave, he couldn’t be the reason they cut it short.

“No sensei.” Atsumu mumbled, shaking his head and quietly taking his seat. As soon as she was turned away he felt someone tap on his chair.

He turned to look, blinking at the white spiky haired kid behind him. The kid smiled, a small almost unnoticeable smile. Atsumu knew his type, he would reach out the first time and if Atsumu ignored him, he’d be way too shy to ever try again. Just like Osamu. His heart ached with loneliness

“Yes?” Atsumu asked, waiting patiently for the kid to figure out how to speak again. He seemed surprised that Atsumu even bothered to pay attention to him.

“Uh… I just… I…” His voice was soft for a moment before he glanced over towards Osamu’s new seat and squared his shoulders. “Your brother will be fine. He’s sitting next… next to Suna Rintaro. Nobody will bully him, Rin-kun is very nice.”

“... Okay.” Atsumu mumbled, not really sure how to say  _ he _ could make sure no one bullied Osamu too. He blinked as he remembered his manners and turned back around, Shinsuke would be upset if he knew Atsumu was being rude.

“I’m Atsumu… Miya Atsumu.” He said, blinking when the other boy lit up. 

“Ginjima Hitoshi! You can call me Hitoshi.” He chirped, eyes bright and Atsumu was taken back by how excited he was to be talking with him. Maybe because it was in the middle of the school year and the kid had no friends, not that it mattered much.

Atsumu would be on the other side of Japan before they were able to actually be friends. Just like all the other schools, a month at one then another and another, he would be gone soon. Most kids got that, leaving him and Osamu alone until they moved on, occasionally one or two kids would reach out if they were lucky enough to start at the beginning of the year but they usually left when they realized they were foster kids. Just like adults, no one wanted to hang around kids no one wanted.

“Hey! Hey!” Another voice called across the room and Atsumu jumped when he realized he was being called again. Who in the world wanted to talk to the new kid?

“Atsumu!” The voice hissed again and Atsumu twisted around, half expecting to see someone from one of his old schools. It took him a second glance before his eyes landed on the newly familiar face.

“Shinji-kun?” Atsumu asked, the heavy feeling in his chest relaxing when he realized he wasn’t going to be completely new at this school. Shinji was three seats away but his face was wide in a grin.

“It is you! I was worried you might have been your brother and I was going to scare ya.” Shinji hissed as loud as he dared as the teacher turned to speak with one of the students at the front of the class. “Is your brother over there? Next to the silver haired one?” 

Atsumu turned to look, and sure enough Osamu was twisted in his seat to talk to the two kids next to him. One was who Atsumu assumed was Suna Rintaro with thick black hair that fell over his face. Directly behind him was a kid with silver white hair piled like a cloud on his head. He turned back to Shinji and nodded.

“The silver haired one is my brother, Shigeru, I’ll introduce you two later. He prefers staying in the back to bake with our dads rather than helping with customers like Akira.” Shinji explained, blinking a little when he realized Hitoshi was staring at him opened mouthed. “Good morning, Ginjima-kun.”

Hitoshi’s face flooded pink and he spun back around to stare at his desk rather than meet either of their gazes. Atsumu watched him for a second, worried before slowly turning his gaze back to Shinji.

“Your brother’s our age… is he… a twin?” Atsumu asked, he knew twins could look different but he had no idea that one could be so tan and the other so pale, maybe Shigeru didn’t know how to go outside?

“No no, he’s… well honestly he’s my cousin. Baba… Issei-san to you, is my uncle… but he’s raised me since last year so… they’re all my dads as far as I care.” Shinji explained, smiling over at his brother. “They adopted Shigeru right after… after my parents died… but we’ve always been raised as brothers since we met, and that’s what matters right? So who cares if he looks different than me.”

Shigeru chose that moment to look up, eyes widening as he saw his brother and waved happily over at him. He pointed at Osamu and then Atsumu mouthing ‘twins!’ and Shinji laughed, giggling softly as the teacher called for them to knock it off.

“Don’t make me separate you two into different classes.” She ordered, looking rather fond of the two identical smiles that flashed to her.

“Sorry sensei!” They called together, giggling as if they were the twins and not Osamu and Atsumu who were looking at each other with wide eyes.

Two seconds later a hand tapped at Atsumu’s shoulder and he leaned back until he could hear Hitoshi’s words.

“You know the Matsukawa’s?” He hissed, looking at Atsumu like he just met a celebrity.

“Yeah… I… live across the street from them.” Atsumu said slowly, waiting to see if it was a trap to mock him.

“Oh that’s so cool… The Matsukawa’s are the most popular kids in class, they’re always bringing snacks for everyone and they’re really nice. Plus!” Hitoshi seemed far too excited to finally have someone to talk to and Atsumu half wanted to shut him up but the thought made him feel guilty. “They… They have four dads, how cool is that? One of them’s an old volleyball olympic player-”

“Ginjima Hitoshi, as happy as I am that you are making friends,” The teacher called, standing in the front of their aisle with hawk eyes trained on the squeaking kid, “we are in the middle of class right now. Talk to them later.”

“Yes sensei,” Hitoshi squeaked, nodding his head and ducking it down.

“Ginjima-kun, if you wanted to meet Papa you should have just asked.” Shinji whispered and Atsumu glanced back when the teacher turned away. Hitoshi looked like he was star-struck and ready to pass out at any moment.

“Tatay is the fun one though he says Papa’s a boring nerd because he works so much,” Shinji said, glancing up the aisle to make sure they wouldn’t get caught. “You can come over to the bakery anytime you want and meet them.”

Hitoshi stared at him and nodded his head rapidly, almost vibrating in his seat.

“Can I bring Rin-kun too?”

“Sure! Maybe we can walk home together after school, if you need a ride to your house Chichi has a car that we use sometimes.”

“Boys? What’s the answer to question three?” The teacher called, raising an eyebrow at the huddle. Atsumu glanced up at the board, grateful he knew that answer at least.

“The character for  _ ka _ is the third one over,” He gave a half smile, hoping she didn’t think he was being mouthy. She seemed surprised before her face split into a smile and she nodded.

“Correct, very good. Even so, please do not make me split you three up.” She said again, eyeing Shinji until he sank back into his seat properly.

Osamu didn’t like being on his own, he was always the first one to make friends. Being alone made it harder to breathe, like everyone would forget about him if he wasn’t with them. Being pulled away from Atsumu was almost as terrifying.

He knew it was fine, Atsumu was going to be in his class with him and they could have lunch together but… 

Osamu twisted, turning to look for his brother only to feel his stomach drop as he saw Atsumu already chatting with someone. Atsumu was terrible with people but here he was, making new friends already. What if he forgot about Osamu too? What if he liked them more and was mad when they had to leave because he was stuck with Osamu?

“Osamu, right?” A low voice said and he twisted to his left, looking at the other kid nervously. He looked a little sleepy with his hair falling into his face and only the slightest flick of his fingers to try and contain it.

“Uh, yeah… You can call me Osamu,” Osamu said slowly, trying not to twist and look at his brother again. “What’s your name?

“Suna Rintaro… Your brother’s talking to Hitoshi-kun, he better not make him cry.” Rintaro said, eyes narrowing on Osamu. Instantly Osamu bristled, offended on his brother’s behalf.

“Don’t talk about my brother like that,” Osamu snapped, deciding he didn’t like Rintaro already, “he’s not a bad person.”

“Don’t start a fight Rintaro.” Another voice cut in when Rintaro opened his mouth. Osamu twisted to the sit diagonally across from him, blinking at the soft looking boy with fluffy silver hair.

“Matsukawa Shigeru,” The boy introduced himself with a smile that seemed familiar, “Rintaro’s just really protective of his best friend, you can ignore him. He won’t actually do anything to your brother except glare at him and hug Hitoshi-kun.”

“You don’t know that.” Rintaro huffed, crossing his arms angrily. Osamu watched the two as Shigeru tried to suppress a smirk and Osamu realized who he looked like.

“Do you know Oikawa-san?” He blurted, shrinking slightly when the kid beside him hushed him.

Shigeru nodded, looking a little surprised at Osamu’s reaction.

“He’s my Papa. We just don’t have the same last name… Your brother met mine when he came over for muffins the other day, Shinji and Papa haven’t shut up about you since… I think Shinji’s convinced they’re best friends.” Shigeru rolled his eyes, glancing over at his brother and waving cheerfully. Osamu tilted his head when he watched Shigeru wave at him and then to Atsumu and mouth ‘Twins!’

“Ignore them… Hitoshi-kun seems to really like your brother… maybe you’re not too bad.” Rintaro said, dragging Osamu’s attention back to him.

“Well it doesn't matter because you’re-” Osamu started, anger rising in his chest. He didn’t want to deal with new friends again, he liked his old friends and he wanted them back. It deflated a second later. He was never going to see them again, and after this month he would never see any of these kids either. They’d forget about him and it would just be him and his brother like always.

“I like you,” Rintaro chirped, turning back in his seat as the teacher walked by again, “Hitoshi’s my best friend so I have to protect him, but he really likes your brother so that means you two are my best friends too.”

Osamu stared at him, trying to figure out if he’d managed to go deaf or crazy in the last few minutes. Rintaro didn’t bother to turn back, humming softly as he pulled out a pencil and started scratching out what the teacher was writing on the board. Osamu turned to Shigeru, hoping he would atleast be able to help.

“Rintaro’s… different.” Shigeru whispered over to him, ignoring the glare Rintaro turned to give him. “He’s a good friend though, Hitoshi didn’t have any until he joined the school and Ritnaro always takes care of him.”

“Because  _ you _ think you’re too good for him.” Rintaro hissed, only turning around when the sounds of the teacher’s feet made him start.

“It’s not my fault he cries when Shinji talks to him. His crush is annoying…. Whatever, my Papa works with their dad so if they’re going to be anyones best friends they’re going to be mine and Shinji’s.” Shigeru said, smiling brightly over at Osamu. “Right Osamu?”

“That’s  _ not _ how that works,” Rintaro insisted, turning to look at Osamu, “nobody likes him, they just like Shinji and deal with Shigeru.”

“It’s true… Oh hey, Rin I brought those cookies you asked for.” Shigeru was vibrant as he turned and started digging through the bag by his leg and pulled out a small baggy. Rintaro lit up, twisting in his chair until he could grab the bag and open it, offering on to Shigeru and then one to Osamu.

“I thought… you two didn’t like each other…” Osamu said slowly, watching Rintaro put the bag of cookies away. He blinked and tilted his head, eyes filled with chaotic energy.

“I can’t stand him!” Rintaro confirmed, biting into his cookie.

“Nobody but Ginjima likes Rin.” Shigeru nodded, motioning for Osamu to take his own bite of the cookie.

Osamu had no idea what to do with that and instead slowly lifted the cookie up to nibble at it while staring at the words on the board. He was beyond confused but they didn’t seem like they were bad people. Maybe they just liked to tease each other a lot, like Akagi did with Shinsuke.

“How about… I can be best friends with both of you… Then we can have more friends instead of fighting?” Osamu said slowly, glancing up at them. They glared at each other for a moment, then turned to Osamu and shrugged.

“Sure.”

Shinsuke was going stir crazy and he knew it. He’d left the boys only twenty minutes ago and already he was missing them.

He turned on his couch, wondering if Oikawa would feel pity for him and let him join him at the store or if he’d insist on Shinsuke needing a day off. He did not in fact need a day off, he was perfectly happy drawing designs and stitching them together all day long thank you very much Oikawa.

Sugawara had mentioned inviting Aran over or going out to the park with him. Shinsuke had almost taken him up on the idea before he’d gotten spammed with pictures of Akagi and Oomimi dragging Aran onto an ice skating rink to Aran’s chagrin. As much as he missed his friends, he could admit that they deserved to spend time without him especially when his own schedule was so hard to work around.

He stood, leaning down to grab the shirt hair clip Osamu had lost under the coffee table, and made his way towards the entrance to his store. He managed to get halfway to Azumane’s office before hands descended on his shoulder and turned him around again.

“Uhuh,” Oikawa sighed, pushing him back towards the house. “Nice try, Shinsuke, but no. Until the boys needed you to go get them you hadn’t taken a day off in two weeks. You’re staying away from work today.”

“Tooru-kun, I appreciate your care but truly I know my limits. I find drawing the designs very relaxing and I want to be able to assist with any negative customers-”

“Yeah yeah, you can draw in your home, where you’re away from the work environment. We can handle any negative customers, I promise.” Tooru sighed, shoving him back into his house. “Go see your boyfriend, take a walk in the park, dance, just don’t let me see you in here again unless you’re handing out bonus checks.”

Shinsuke paused, then shrugged, turning around only to meet Oikawa’s flat gaze. He sighed, letting his shoulders drop. Oikawa was right, he wasn’t taking care of himself properly.

“Okay, you win Tooru…” He said, dipping his head and turning around unhappily as he stepped into his house again and closed the door behind him. He was going to go insane if he didn’t get out.

He debated on visiting his grandmother, but she was probably busy with one of her many art and music classes she’d taken to keep herself active. He glanced up again as his phone rang, taking the few steps to the kitchen to grab it.

_ Omimi would like to Facetime _

Shinsuke frowned as he answered, holding the phone up.

It took a second, static covering the screen before it settled on the familiar long face of his friend. In the background he could see Akagi was holding onto Aran, squealing when children sped past and pressing closer. Aran looked rather tired already, but there was a hint of a smile in the curve of his lips as he skated himself and Akagi closer to Oomimi.

“Hey, where are you? Are you close by?” Oomimi asked, his voice clear despite the picture shaking horribly before it settled again with Akagi’s face pressed on Oomimi’s arm to get into the frame.

“What are you talking about? Close by where?” Shinsuke asked, tilting his head at his friends looking at him like he was crazy.

“Close to the skating rink- Akagi forgot to invite you didn’t he?” Oomimi sighed and the camera shifted to reveal both Oomimi and Aran frowning down at Akagi. Akagi smiled widely at them, looking far too chaotic for someone who was in trouble.

“Oops?”

“Oops? You told me he was going to meet us here.” Aran cuffed the back of his head, not looking at all bothered at the loud whine that came from him. “How could you know that when you didn’t even talk to him?”

“I’m not a smart man, shrug emoji?” Akagi purred, actively shrugging. All three of them froze, turning to stare at Akagi again.

“Did you just verbally say…. ‘Shrug emoji’?” Oomimi asked slowly, blinking rather concernedly. Akagi grinned brightly up at him.

“I am not a smart man.” He repeated, yelping when Aran’s hand smacked the back of his head again. He turned and whined, wrapping his arms around Aran’s chest and trying to nuzzle into it.

“Please stop him before you get arrested,” Shinsuke sighed fondly, moving to the bedroom to get dressed. “I’m on my way, please do not let him be killed.”

He ended the call, unable to push down his own smile. He was grateful for any chance to spend with his friends, even if Akagi was a wild and untamed puppy. Perhaps Oikawa had a point, he did need to get out of his work environment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk with me on Twitter @Watcchishinji  
> Sorry this chapter took so long my computer started having a melt down halfway through. I'm going to need a new one as this ones almost six years old and not made to last that long ;v;  
> Next chapter will continue with both pov's and how they exist outside of the family dynamic. I hope you like it and if there's anything you want to see please comment! I'm open to basically anything.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, once again I make a single day way longer than it needed to be but I had a lot of fun writing the Arankita scene!  
> Next chapter might end up being a lot less of the boys and more on Shinsuke if that's alright with everyone.  
> I also have to find a new computer soon, it's on its last leg so if I don't update next week I promise you'll get two chapters the week after when I have a computer again.

Atsumu didn’t actually mind Shinji and Hitoshi, they were fun to talk to between classes. Still, the moment the bell rang for lunch he took off between the desks until he could stand by his brother’s side. His brother was animatedly explaining something about what Atsumu could only assume was cooking because he didn’t understand any of it.

“Samu?” Atsumu reached to poke his shoulder, unnerved by the quiet and neutral face his brother had adopted. The moment his brother saw him however, he brightened, twisting and grabbing his brother by his arms and dragging him closer.

“Tsumu! I made friends,” Osamu explained as he turned back around, “this is Suna Rintaro and Matsukawa Shigeru! Guys this is my brother, Atsumu!”

Atsumu turned his gaze to the other two, narrowing his eyes at the blank look on Rintaro’s face before turning and nodding his head politely to Shigeru. They didn’t  _ look _ like bullies, and Shigeru was Shinji’s brother but Atsumu still didn’t trust them. Osamu was nicer than he was to other people and they tended to think he could be bullied easier.

“Nice to meet you Atsumu-kun.” Shigeru chirped, pulling out a bento from his bag and nudging Rintaro in the shoulder as he stood. “Don’t be rude.”

“You’re the rude one, go away.” Rintaro said back but he was quick to join Shigeru’s side as they moved to stand in front of Osamu’s chair. “Don’t be mean to Hitoshi-kun, he cries a lot.”

“It’s true, I do.” Hitoshi’s voice came from Atsumu’s elbow seconds before he felt the slightly smaller child lean against him. “My Okasan says I have a gentle soul but Neesan says I’m a baby.”

Rintaro curled his lip up at that but the look fell away a second later when Osamu stood up and joined them. Osamu grinned brightly at him, bouncing slightly on his heels.

“Are we going for lunch outside now?” He chirped to Rintaro and Atsumu’s stomach dropped. Had Osamu already decided they were better than his own brother? Was he going to leave Atsumu alone for his new friends?

The panic only had a few seconds to well up before Osamu’s grinning face was facing Atsumu. He didn’t seem to notice anything different about his brother as he clutched his lunch close to his chest.

“Rin-kun was telling me about this really nice spot where they eat lunch next to the flower garden. He said he’d show us!” Osamu chirped cheerfully, eyes wide and bright with excitement. Atsumu breathed a sigh of relief. 

_ Us _ meant so much more to him then Osamu realized. If he didn’t have Osamu, who did he have?

Part of him whispered that Shinsuke wanted him but he shut that down quickly. Osamu was everyone’s favorite, if Shinsuke wanted to adopt either of them it was definitely going to be Osamu. Nobody wanted Atsumu and that wasn’t going to change over the course of a month.

“Oh cool… I forgot my lunch, wait a minute.” Atsumu turned back to his desk, neatly stepping around Hitoshi who seemed to gravitate to Rintaro’s side.

“We’ll go on ahead, just tell Shinji to bring you over.” Shigeru hummed.

“Wai-” Atsumu blinked as he watched his brother walk out with him, only a single cheerful wave letting him know he wasn’t being dragged along. He didn’t even have a full minute to respond before they were gone and he was left standing nervously in the center of the aisle.

“Atsumu-kun?” Shinji’s voice came from his right and he turned, looking at his fellow student on the other side of the desks looking rather concerned for him. In his hand he had two lunches, one of them Atsumu’s.

“You left this, I was worried you might have to run all the way back. Sorry.” Shinji dipped his head apologetically as he passed him the box. Atsumu cradled it, shaking his head.

“It’s fine… thank you… You… Your brother said you knew where they were going?” Atsumu said slowly, trying to breathe. He tried to focus on the cloth under his finger tips rather than the replaying image of Osamu happily walking away from him. Oomimi had bought it for him, letting Atsumu pick out the Totodile design when he’d taken the twins out to buy fresh ingredients on Sunday.

“Yeah, I usually eat in class so I can work on homework before I go home, but I don’t mind eating with you guys.” Shinji was cheerful, not so loud Atsumu felt overwhelmed or close like Hitoshi, but enough to make him take a breath.

“Could you… s-show… show me?” Atsumu pushed the words out, trying not to feel nauseous the longer Osamu was away. This wasn’t like being at Shinsuke’s where Akagi and the others were watching out for them.

Shinsuke had made sure all the adults at the store knew about Osamu’s allergies, but none of the kids here knew and Osamu didn’t pay attention to things before eating them. He’d eaten things he was allergic to so many times already and just thinking about it was making Atsumu sick.

“Yeah! C’mon Atsumu.” Shinji didn’t say anything about the panic that seemed to be growing on Atsumu’s face, instead he just stepped forward and led the way out of the classroom.

“How long are you and Osamu going to be staying with Kita-san?” Shinji asked as they walked. Atsumu glanced at him, expecting the normal taunting looks but instead Shinji was just blinking at him innocently and Atsumu remembered Shigeru was adopted too.

“Another three weeks… then we have to go again… Moniw- my social worker said Shinsuke-kun is only taking care of us as a favor until his license expires.” Atsumu said, remembering how Moniwa had whispered it to Officer Kuroo before Kenma had managed to bring them to a separate room.

“Hmm…” Shinji seemed to be thinking hard as he stepped out of the building and led them towards a garden. He spun right before they arrived, silver eyes narrowed in steely stubbornness that reminded Atsumu of Oikawa when he was trying to steal Akaashi’s pens.

“If Kita-san doesn’t adopt you, then I’ll ask my Dads.” Shinji said seriously. “Then you won’t have to worry about moving around ever again.”

Osamu wasn’t quite sure that he really understood what was going on between Rintaro and Shigeru, but he did know Shigeru hadn’t lied before. Rintaro had immediately wrapped a friendly arm around Hitoshi’s shoulders when they sat down, quietly asking him if he’d had any issues on the school work before pulling away when Hitoshi shook his head.

Rintaro had opened up his bento almost immediately after, quickly grabbing the piece of chicken and throwing it at Shigeru’s face. The scream caught Osamu by surprise and he looked over to see it in Shigeru’s hair instead.

“You… are such a-” He dissolved into angry words in a language Osamu didn’t know but definitely didn’t sound like Japanese or English. Rintaro, on the other hand, looked rather pleased with himself as he turned back to his plate and started to eat out of it. Osamu was squished between Shigeru and Hitoshi as the silver haired kid reached over with chopsticks and stole the entirety of a nigiri and shoved it into Rintaro’s face.

“Oh no.” Hitoshi whined, tugging Osamu backwards as Rintaro gasped and sputtered. “Shinji-kun is the only one who can stop them when they start fighting like this.”

“Why are they even fighting?” Osamu asked, squeaking in surprise as the two put their lunches on the ground and Shigeru jumped forward to tackle Rintaro into the grass.

“They just like it I think. They used to both be in the same Taekwondo class until a few months ago when Rin-kun’s mom stopped taking him, ever since then they just start fighting when they feel like it.” Hitoshi reached forward, carefully laying the lid back onto Rintaro’s bento and moving it away from the kicking feet.

“That’s kinda weird.” Osamu hummed, watching them shove themselves apart and stand up before Rintaro was throwing a punch and ramming forward until he could trip Shigeru with his foot and they were down again scuffling.

“Hey! What are you two doing? Stop it!” Shinji’s voice rang out seconds before Osamu realized he’d been nearby with Atsumu. “Shigeru, bad!”

“Oh it’s Shinji-kun.” Hitoshi’s face seemed to turn pink as he looked over at their classmate and Osamu tilted his head at him, curious. Maybe Shinji was scarier than Shigeru and Rintaro?

“He started it!” A voice shouted from the pile of limbs as Shinji passed over his lunch to Atsumu and ran over to try and pull them apart.

Atsumu seemed to almost appear beside Osamu and he looked up at his brother excitedly. This school was a thousand times more interesting than any of their previous ones and the kids were friendlier.

“Hi!” He chirped, patting the spot next to him. “Shigeru-kun and Rin-kun are fighting.”

“I… noticed. Are you okay though?” Atsumu said, barely casting a glance at the mess beside them. Osamu nodded quickly, not wanting to worry his brother at all.

He had felt a little bad leaving him behind, but this was the first time he felt comfortable at school and he didn’t want that to stop because he was being a baby about his brother. He didn’t feel like he was waiting for the kids to mock him like he had at the last school. Shigeru was adopted just like him and Rintaro didn’t care about that at all. Hitoshi was really nice even if he was more quiet and Shinji seemed like he liked Atsumu a lot.

That was more than Osamu had even hoped to think about getting from school.

“They didn’t fight me, just each other. Sit down ‘Tsumu. We hafta eat, remember what Shinsuke-kun said about eating all of our meals.” Osamu lectured his brother, ignoring the annoyed scowl that grew on his face. Atsumu always got grumpy around new kids, he just didn’t seem to like them though Osamu had never understood why.

“Do not make me break you two up!” Shinji almost seemed to whine as he stood above the wriggling pile of limbs. “... You two… you’re going to get in trouble… Fine…”

Like Shigeru, Shinji seemed to be fluent in another language because he started mumbling in it as he reached down and grabbed an arm and started stepping backwards, pulling Rinataro off of his brother. Shigeru straightened up on the ground, looking around for his friend before he spotted him and immediately started laughing.

“Shut up! You fight him!” Rintaro yelled at him, kicking his feet petulantly and Shinji whined, lowering him down.

“Will you two stop fighting? Please? Atsumu and Osamu deserve a peaceful lunch on their first day- I’m too old for this.” Shinji sighed as Shigeru took advantage of Rintaro’s position to tackle him to the ground and try to sit on his lap.

“Who are you? Tatay? You’re only a year older than me.” Shiger stuck out his tongue, yelling when Rintaro shoved him off and tried to kick him.

“It’s a very long year… I’m telling Papa, stop fighting you two.” Shinji tried to intervene again, this time using his few centimeters of height to his advantage and wrapping his arms around Shigeru’s chest and dragging him backwards towards the rest of them. “The tree is a safe zone, stop it.”

“You’re the worst big brother ever!” Shigeru complained, though he was only met with an eye roll and a few more feet of being dragged as Shinji couldn’t carry him. He finally put his feet down and let himself be led back and sat at the base of the tree beside Atsumu.

“I win.” Rintaro said proudly, taking his spot beside Hitoshi.

They both glared at each other before dissolving into laughter, both of their hair wild messes. Their uniforms were covered in dirt and grass and Shigeru was sporting a shoe print on his calf that Shinji was trying to wipe off. They both had sticks in their hair and their faces were bright red with excitement and effort.

“I don’t… understand.” Atsumu mumbled to his brother. Sure, he and Osamu wrestled a lot but that was usually when they were upset with each other. They had never just wrestled to have fun or risk their clothes getting dirty.

“Me neither… Isn’t it fun?” Osamu grinned back at him, excitement and hope bright in his eyes.

Atsumu blinked once then nodded. He could only hope Shinsuke would offer to adopt Osamu so that look would never go away from his brother again.

“I’m not sure I understand what happened here.” Shinsuke said slowly, looking down at Akagi who was on the ground. Oomimi had taken off his own jacket and shoved it onto Akagi backwards to keep him trapped and tied the arms behind Akagi’s back.

“Akagi kept poking Ren’s stomach through the coat,” Aran sighed, shaking his head at the laugh that escaped Akagi. “We thought this would help but he just sat down and said he was waiting for you.”

“You are, officially, the only one who can curb the chaos.” Oomimi said darkly, looking into the distance. The three of them looked at him, following his gaze for a moment before looking back at each other.

“Okay?... Oomimi, please help Akagi up and remove the jacket. Akagi, stop purposely bothering people for attention.” Shinsuke chuckled softly, ignoring the soft whine that came from his friend as he moved to sit down on the bench in front of the shoe stand. He quickly removed his own shoes and pulled on the ice skates instead.

A broad hand entered his gaze as he tied the last string and he looked up to see Aran offering his hand. Shinsuke couldn’t help the smile that curled up on his lips as he took the offer and let Aran pull him up easily.

His stance wavered and he slipped, falling against Aran for a moment before he managed to get his feet under him.

“Ah, sorry. It’s been a very long time since I last skated.” Shinsuke said softly, trying not to think about the amusement twinkling in Aran’s eyes as he held him up. It really wasn’t fair that Aran had to come and be attractive.

“Don’t worry about it, you good?” Aran asked, carefully wrapping his hand around Shinsuke’s elbow to help hold him up. The words ‘you look good’ started to rise up before Shinsuke smacked them down, nodding to him instead.

He didn’t pull away immediately though, when was the last time he’d actually taken the time to think about anything romantically? Aran wasn’t the only person he’d liked in his life, but he’d been the only one Shinsuke could definitively say he’d be happy spending the rest of his life with even after high school ended and they only saw each other every few months. Even now after nearly three years of little contact. Aran was still one of his best friends and the one he’d thought about sharing his life with.

Shinsuke could hear Akagi’s laughter in the background and his cheeks pinked. He pulled away, nearly swaying before the hand tightened on his elbow and another moved to his hip steadying him. Aran wasn’t looking at him anymore, instead he was rolling his eyes over at Akagi.

“Stop it, you spent the first half hour crying into my arm that you were scared of the ice.” Aran said, carefully loosening his grip on Shinsuke as he straightened up but he didn’t pull away. Akagi still looked far too amused for a twenty eight year old trapped in a jacket as he watched the two of them.

“That was clearly a ploy because I love you, Aran-kun.” Akagi purred, yelping when Oomimi flicked his ear. “What! Don’t be jealous ‘Mimi! You’re my absolute favoritest person ever.”

“That’s a  _ punishment _ .” Oomimi drawled, glancing over at the other two with an amused but gentle look. “Can I please leave him tied up like this?” 

“No,” Shinsuke sighed, trying not to think of how Aran shook as he laughed beside him and the cold feeling taking over the spot Aran’s hand had laid on his hip. “That would be mean, please let him go.”

Oomimi let out a sigh before he turned to release their friend and Shinsuke turned back to Aran. Even bundled up against the cold of the ice skating rink, he was attractive and Shinsuke was pretty sure this was punishment for all his years of refusing to date just to annoy Oikawa and Sugawara. A better reason would have been just lack of interest but he had to choose the one that involved driving them crazy trying to find him someone to date.

Aran’s eyes met his a second later, still just as warm and accepting as they’d ever been. Shinsuke couldn’t help but regret letting them grow apart years ago. Even if Aran hadn’t been part of his plan, he was a fool for letting his best friend drift away.

“Let’s get to skating before Akagi does something and Oomimi leaves hmm?” Aran teased, eyes not leaving Shinsuke’s for a second this time. Shinsuke just nodded, no words available to him just a warm feeling of  _ home _ in his chest.

It took only a few minutes to wrangle the two towards the rink which was thankfully rather empty considering most people were working at ten in the morning on a Monday. No one was particularly bothered by Akagi’s loud chatter compared to the few too-young for school children racing around the rink.

Akagi himself was very politely shoved onto the ice by Oomimi the moment they stepped up to the gate and nearly fell on his face before he caught himself. He spun around, easily keeping himself up as he grinned at his three best friends.

“C’mon slowpokes.” He chirped, turning back around and taking off.

“He makes me feel old,” Oomimi said, turning to look at Aran and Shinsuke. His gaze dropped to the gentle hold Aran had on Shinsuke’s elbow and the way the shorter man leaned into his presence and something softened in his eyes as his lips turned up into a gentle smile.

He didn’t say anything else despite Shinsuke’s concerned look and simply slid out onto the ice and waved before taking off after Akagi. 

“Did you know those two could skate?” Shinsuke asked, watching them wide eyed and Aran sighed.

“Nope. Especially when they both spent the first half hour trying to pull me to the floor until you arrived.” Aran said dryly, lips curling slightly as Akagi skated in front of them after his second loop.

“Just preparing you for our dearest Shinsuke-kun. It’s been six years since he last skated after all, he’s going to really need your help.” Akagi chirped, winking at them to both of their confusion. “Have fun, I have to go.”

Akagi took off right as Oomimi slid in behind him, nearly sending Oomimi into the wall before he corrected himself and chased after Akagi instead.

Shinsuke snorted softly, wondering how he could have forgotten how Akagi managed to get everyone into a competitive move. Even Aran was shuffling like he wanted nothing more than to run Akagi down and beat him in a race. 

Shinsuke looked up as he realized that Aran wasn’t moving anymore, surprised to find himself being watched. The smile on his lips lifted higher without being told too and he shifted until he could curl his arm around Aran’s, ignoring the internal Tooru cheering him on.

“Please don’t let me fall on my face,” Shinsuke said, moving to take his first step on the ice. Aran’s arm tightened and he stepped after him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for continuing to read and your support!  
> Follow me on Twitter at WatacchiShinji or Tumblr at Miracleboiz!


	15. Chapter 15

“I’m just saying, you suck and Pokemon is clearly better than Digimon.”

Atsumu had given up on trying to figure out Shigeru and Rintaro’s relationship after watching them share lunch and start kicking each other. Hitoshi and Shinji hadn’t seemed surprised at their fighting and they hadn’t actually hurt each other. Though Atsumu had nearly had a heart attack when he’d seen a teacher run over when they had started practicing their taekwondo.

Osamu had latched onto Atsumu’s side throughout the last twenty minutes of lunch after she was finally persuaded that they hadn’t actually been fighting. Shinji had politely stepped between the twins and the outraged teacher, all smiles and polite words before she backed down.

Rintaro didn’t seem to mind the admonishment but he quickly looked guilty after catching Osamu’s eye and finding him clutched onto his brother. Shigeru looked far more ashamed after Shinji turned to him with a glare that had him hunkering down beside Hitoshi and Osamu. Shinji cast one last annoyed look at both of them before taking his seat back beside Atsumu.

“They’re not in trouble,” Shinji tried to soothe Osamu on their way back to the classroom when he was still holding onto Atsumu. There was nothing Atsumu could think to say to calm him down, he didn’t know how this school worked and his own chest was still pounding. What if the teacher assumed they’d all been breaking the rules and called Shinsuke?

“Are you sure?” Osamu mumbled, fist curled in his shirt and Atsumu had to keep reaching back and pulling the cloth from his mouth. He could only imagine Shinsuke would be upset to find chewed holes in the clothes he spent so much money buying especially if he thought they’d been fighting.

“I promise. Ito-sensei is a very big stickler for the rules is all, but she won’t do anything more than call our parents to tell them and I know Tatay won’t be upset at all. Rintaro-kun’s parent’s don’t seem to mind what he does at all, so neither of them will be in trouble.” Shinji tried to assure him and Osamu glanced up at him, eyes filled with worry but Shinji just smiled. “I promise Osamu. We’re friends, I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Osamu relaxed at that, finally letting go of his shirt though his arm stayed wrapped around Atsumu’s. He glanced back at the two arguing over Pokemon and Digimon, Hitoshi pressed between the two to prevent any punches, before looking at Shinji and nodding.

“Friends… Okay.” 

Shinji seemed to brighten even more, happily chattering away with Osamu about all the times Shigeru and Rintaro had gotten into trouble.

Atsumu wasn’t sure what to make of everything that happened. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure what to make of everything that started since the hospital. That side of his face still burned, though no one had mentioned it, and reminded him that he wasn't supposed to talk back to his foster parents.

But Shinsuke seemed different. Or maybe Atsumu just wanted him to be different. Atsumu was  _ tired _ of being passed around and unwanted. Just completely and utterly,  _ tired _ .

Looking at Osamu smiling though and seeing a new friend, a real friend who wouldn’t be forced to say goodbye in a few days, in Shinji. Atsumu couldn’t help but let a little bit of hope blossom in his chest.

“So how were the twins this morning?” Aran tried to sound conversational, as if he wasn’t holding up 90% of Shinsuke’s weight with a single arm.

“Are you trying to distract me by talking about my kids?” Shinsuke managed to grit out, squeezing closer as Akagi sped past with three toddlers on his tail. Aran’s eyes glittered at Shinsuke’s words and Shinsuke couldn’t help but get distracted by the lips curving up.

“Yes, I am trying to distract you by talking about  _ your _ kids.” Aran didn’t even bother trying to pretend, smiling down at him. Heat flared on Shinsuke’s cheeks and he looked down at the ice in front of his feet for a moment before Aran’s jostle reminded him to look ahead.

“... They’re fine. They didn’t want to go this morning but I can’t exactly home school them, though I’m sure they’d prefer that… They need to be around others their age and take care of themselves, they won’t always have a parent around to help them get along with others and they can’t learn if they never experience anything.”

“Mm, is Atsumu still upset about getting in trouble?” Aran carefully let an inch slide between them as Shinsuke groaned at the reminder. That night at dinner, he’d been forced to admonish Atsumu for flinging potatoes at Aran and Atsumu had sulked for hours on his bed way into Sunday.

“I still can’t believe he did that, but he seemed to have forgotten why he was in trouble by the time lunch came around on Sunday though he was still scared to do anything wrong. I might see if I can get him tested for ADHD, it’s a fine line between trauma responses and rejection sensitivity dysphoria especially at such a young age. Not to mention he hyperfixates and completely forgets to do anything else,” Shinsuke hummed, completely unaware of the very loose hold Aran had on his arm as they skated together. “Then he turns around and can’t do anything for more than a few minutes before he starts scrambling all over the place for something else to do. It’s almost like watching a squirrel take two hours to crack open a nut and then go insane without another nut to open. Trauma can be helped and in many cases overcome with only a little affecting him later, but RSD will never go away and I don’t want to make him feel like a failure for not being able to do the same things as his brother… You distracted me.”

Aran laughed at the shocked and betrayed look on Shinsuke’s face and Shinsuke ignored the rather nice feeling of warm butterflies in his chest to glare as best as he could at his friend. Aran didn’t mind though, arm sliding lower until his fingers brushed over Shinsuke’s wrist like wings. A shiver ran through Shinsuke at the touch, fingers twitching.

Holding hands wouldn’t be… bad right? They were friends after all and Akagi was always holding his hand. Besides… It’s not like it mattered if anyone thought they were a couple, they were both single adults. Or rather Shinsuke was hoping Aran was single, it would be horrible luck to find out Aran was engaged or something to some volleyball player in Brazil or something.

“Do you mind if I-?” Aran started, each brush of soft finger pads like a thousand shocks and Shinsuke grabbed his hand, using it to steady himself for a second before just holding it.

Aran didn’t seem to have anything to say to that and Shinsuke would have sworn there was a dark tint of a blush growing over his cheeks. He almost leaned in closer to check but Aran looked away instead, eyes darting across the room. Shinsuke let his own gaze drop to the children around them, wondering how the twins were doing in class and trying not to focus on how foolish he felt.

This wasn’t a date. They were here as friends with Oomimi and Akagi, that was all. Aran was just as nice as he was when they first met and helping him skate, there was no need to bring unnecessary emotions into the mix. Besides, it had been three years since they were properly friends, there was no way Aran liked him after so much time apart. They were different people now…

Shinsuke couldn’t help but loathe the feeling of regret and quiet mourning of chances lost that rolled in his chest. As much as they were both at fault for falling apart, he didn’t have any right to regret his choices now. He’d made his decisions after all and Aran hadn’t been one of them, but still his heart wondered what might have been.

“What about Osamu?” Aran said after a minute of the silence growing heavier, stifling both of them. Thinking about the boys was a breath of fresh air.

“He’s a lot better at focusing if you ask him too, but he’s quiet and won’t talk sometimes for hours. I’m not sure how much of that is from abuse or if it’s from something completely unrelated. He could just be a quieter kid. He doesn’t seem to be nearly as sensitive to getting in trouble, though he’s often scared. He’s more hyperactive than Atsumu though. As long as Atsumu can move his fingers he’s fine. Osamu needs to move his feet and run. Video games are perfect for Atsumu but Osamu finds them boring more often than not, or rather, he finds Atsumu’s ten minute play time of a game before he switches boring.” Shinsuke listed off, not quite realizing how much effort he’d put into the boys’ even as Aran stared open-mouthed at him. “What?”

“Nothing, nothing, I’m just surprised you… Well actually, knowing you I’m not surprised at all,” Aran laughed and Shinsuke swore he’d never looked more attractive, “you care, so much. You’re just… amazing you know that?”

Any breath left in Shinsuke’s chest seemed to disappear as brown eyes met his, filled with affection and understanding. Regret flooded Shinsuke, for a path not chosen. Maybe in another life, he’d called Aran and confessed, maybe he’d planned his life to include a partner. Maybe he’d had no plan at all and lived his life like Akagi, day to day, effortlessly expanding his view of the world. Perhaps in a different life he’d had a plan, one of living his own life of simplicity with an unbreakable thread reaching across the country to tie effortlessly on the finger of a professional volleyball player with kind eyes and a loving heart.

But that wasn’t this life.

“Watch out!” Akagi’s voice was a few seconds too late and Shinsuke found himself falling forward as three separate bodies piled into him. Strong arms wrapped around him, almost cradling him before Aran’s voice broke through the confusion and adrenaline. He had to force himself not to think of how warm Aran managed to be even through the jacket as he tried to straighten up and slipped again.

“Akagi! Don’t send kids to tackle people.”

“They were aiming for Oomimi! You just got in the way.” Akagi whined back, the soft sounds of ice scratching against steel got closer before Shinsuke felt a hand on his back. “Hey, you okay?”

“I am fine, the children-” He glanced around, only to see two of them had taken off racing each other while the third was still trying to get Oomimi who had made it to the other side of the rink.

“Eh, they’re fine, you cushioned their fall and one even managed to hang onto Aran. How much do you lift buddy? Just the entirety of Japan or do you sometimes add in the weight of New Zealand?” Akagi laughed, slipping a hand under Shinsuke’s arm and helping him to his feet again. Shinsuke’s fingers suddenly felt cold as Aran’s hand slipped away.

“I never understand what you’re saying,” Aran sighed, shaking his head almost tiredly though he looked fond. Akagi just grinned enthusiastically back at him, gently pushing Shinsuke back at him.

“Neither do I, my good sir, neither do I. Oh there’s Ren, I hafta get him.” Akagi twisted to jet off after Oomimi’s rather slow slide past, a four year old clutching tight to his leg with no parents in sight. Shinsuke sighed, reaching out and grabbing the back of his jacket, ignoring his yelp.

“Do  _ not _ send children to tackle anybody else, Akagi Michinari,” He ordered, eyes narrowed on Akagi’s. “I am not protecting you from the police or from angry parents.”

“Yessir! I’m just trying to help, you two are so helpless- I mean I am very sorry please forgive me.” Akagi squeaked out rather quietly, hunkering down into his jacket to get away from Shinsuke’s glare. Shinsuke sighed, carefully letting go and trying not to stumble back.

He really was not made for his feet not being on solid ground. This time there wasn’t a warm hand though, and he struggled for a moment before gaining his feet under him and carefully turning around back to Aran.

Aran looked amused, if not a little curious as he eyed Akagi’s back. The shorter man skated towards Oomimi, nearly crashing into him before grabbing his jacket and yanking on it until Oomimi finally tilted his head down to let Akagi whisper something into it. Oomimi’s eyes glanced at the two of them before they rolled back and he started to skate away, dragging Akagi with him.

“Do you think they’re up to something?” Shinsuke asked after a moment, meeting Aran’s amused gaze.

“If they’re not, I’m going to be more annoyed that Michinari somehow managed to find a way to be even more obnoxious.” Aran sighed, but a grin was building on his lips as he tipped his head to motion for them to start moving again. “Don’t get me wrong, I love him to death but sometimes I swear he’s got it out for me and any sense of dignity that I have.”

“You have dignity?” Shinsuke slid forward, wobbling before catching his balance. Only to laugh at the slack-jawed, wide eyed stare he received from Aran and instantly started to fall backwards.

He was about to start praying Akagi wasn’t watching, when he felt an arm catch him  _ again _ . Shinsuke had half a mind to actually watch all those romance films that Akaashi was always trying to recommend to him, atleast one of them had to explain why whichever god of misery there was kept throwing him into Aran. It wasn’t fair to keep putting him against such a nice chest when he  _ clearly _ had chosen a plan  _ not involving him _ .

“You know, everyone in high school thought you were the kindest guy around. Never made a mean joke or harassed other people. They never knew you were the absolute  _ worst _ and you continue to be to this day.” Aran said and Shinsuke pressed his lips together so he wouldn’t laugh. “You always managed to sneak by everyone when you played your little pranks, chuckling to yourself when you watched Akagi get pied and when Oomimi turned blonde. Now, you’ve evolved to mean words.”

“Don’t be a baby, Aran.” The laugh bubbled out and he pinched his eyes shut, trying to forget how absurd Aran’s face looked when he was faking his own betrayal. “I’m who I’ve always been.”

“... Nah,” the voice was soft and struck something in Shinsuke’s heart like a guitar string being picked, “you’re definitely not. But you are amazing, but also so unnecessarily stubborn. Like when you  _ falsely _ insisted that Saltines are better than Ritz crackers.”

Shinsuke’s eyes flew open instantly. He hadn’t stood for such an insult when he was fifteen and he wasn’t doing it now.

“You take that back.” He said slowly, only vaguely aware of Aran’s touch sliding from him. His focus was completely on that irritatingly smug look on Aran’s lips as he skated backwards a few steps, leaving Shinsuke to fumble himself into a proper standing position.

“Ritz is just better, it’s not your fault you have no taste. After all you’re not a chef, it must be so hard- fuck.” Aran bolted as soon as Shinsuke moved forward, moving slowly but still managing to move. “Must… Must be hard to be… wrong.”

Aran’s laughter echoed around the rink, followed closely by Shinsuke’s murmured cursing he’d learned from Tooru’s need for Spanish when upset.

Oomimi slid towards the rink wall, letting Akagi unlatch himself as they watched the two.

“They’re idiots.” Akagi sighed, looking positively gleeful.

“I can’t believe Aran held him for almost thirty minutes. If he’d just shown Shinsuke the steps they could have just skated together-... remove your finger from my mouth.” Oomimi sighed at the hand over his lips, raising an eyebrow down at the shorter man.

“Look, I understand that you don’t get romance, but you have to think of it this way.” Akagi said, refusing to remove his hand. “Aran thinks Shinsuke could never like him back, and Shinsuke doesn’t do anything without a plan. So Aran’s trying to get what he can out of friendship, and Shinsuke’s trying to beat the crap out of him for insisting Ritz are better than Saltines.”

“How… did you know what they were fighting about?” 

“I may or may not have brought it up while waiting for Shin-kun to arrive to see if Aran would start a fight.” Akagi grinned widely, tapping the cold steel on his shoe against the ice before moving his hand to tug petulantly on Oomimi’s jacket. “C’mon! Now that they’re done flirting we can skate with them… also Shinsuke really doesn’t know how to skate and will probably fall on his face soon if we don’t help.”

“How’s the coaching job?” Shinsuke asked, almost two hours later, calves burning as he collapsed onto a bench. Aran was holding out a hot chocolate, his own carefully cradled next to his chest as he took the spot next to him. In the rink, a coffee-drunk Akagi was attempting to join in with the children’s skating class while Oomimi kept an eye on him from the wall.

“It’s going well… kind of weird to have a bunch of kids looking up to me instead of working with adults but I like it.” Aran hummed, fingers curled around his coffee as he watched Akagi fail a spin and crash to the floor. “Though… I have two very interesting additions from this Friday.”

“Ah? What makes them interesting?”

“Remember Suna Eiichi from high school? Apparently he and Yamanaka Ai got married after all and had a kid… But they’re just as neglectful as they used to be, their kid’s something else. He’s smart, brilliant really, but he just seems to enjoy causing mischief more than anything… he’s skilled, and he works hard though… He snuck into my gym to try and join practice,” Aran said, quickly giving Shinsuke the rundown of Rintaro’s most well known escapades into middle school clubs.

“He did seem interested in volleyball, so if he sticks with it then I can keep an eye out and make sure he’s not harassing anyone who’ll actually punish him. It’s more like… he’s just overwhelmingly bored all the time. Then there’s Ginjima Hitoshi. Quiet but responsible, he’s always the first to try and help clean up and the last to leave besides me. He seems to try and keep Rintaro-kun out of trouble but I think having only one friend means he’s a little bit more lenient then Rintaro needs.”

“Aran,” Shinsuke hummed, amused, “they’re six. Not sixteen. They don’t have to be each other’s conscience. Give them atleast another year.”

Aran’s cheeks darkened with a blush that he hid behind his drink, looking away from Shinsuke.

“I forget sometimes I think.” Aran admitted with a sigh, body relaxing into a slouch. “What it’s like being a kid… I look at them and I just wonder ‘why won’t you ask for help?’ ‘why are you here if you don’t like the game?’ ‘why are you worrying over something that won’t matter to you in a few years?’ because I’m older now… They look silly to me, but I know it’s not silly to them. Rintaro-kun doesn’t know how to ask for something more challenging, he doesn't know how to say ‘I’m tired of being home alone’. Hitoshi-kun doesn’t know how to make other friends or how to say ‘don’t mock me for that, it hurts’. Yoshimoto can’t tell his parents ‘I hate volleyball, I wanted to join the calligraphy club’. It’s so easy for me that I think I forget that it’s not for them.”

“But you’re thinking about it from their side, that’s the first step.” Shinsuke said after a moment of silence, carefully moving closer until he could lean against Aran’s shoulder and let his feet hang instead of resting directly on the ground. “You just have to remember that everything they’re experiencing is probably for the first time. Rintaro-kun sounds like he’s never had someone ask what  _ he _ wants before, he doesn’t know what to do. Hitoshi-kun’s never had someone tell him it’s okay to be hurt by things. They’re learning… which is after all, what humans do. We learn, and we grow. It doesn’t stop just because we become volleyball superstars.”

“I think you have me confused with Oikawa Tooru or Bokuto Kotaro, but thank you.” Aran laughed.

“No trust me… you’re better than either of them… you haven’t lit my shop on fire yet.” Shinsuke muttered the last part, trying to remember if he put the lighters away properly after Asahi bought sparklers for the Matsukawa kids.

“What was that?” Aran’s voice deepened in confusion but Shinsuke just shook his head, resting it on his shoulder. He could feel Aran stiffen under him before he relaxed slowly, a soft sigh escaping from him.

“Even adults have things to learn… Not all of us can say ‘I like you’ or ‘you’re my best friend, I’m sorry I messed up’ or even ‘stop showing up at my house and climbing into my bed Michinari, you literally have a guest bed for that and you never take your socks off’.” Shinsuke hummed, eyes on the laughing skater in the rink, surrounded by kids showing him how to spin. “Sometimes adults can’t even say ‘I’m sorry’ but you have to grow, it just takes a bit.”

“Shinsuke…” Aran said before he stopped himself, watching Shinsuke lift his head curiously to look him in the eye. Pretty silver eyes made his heart jump into his throat and he just smiled. Words pressed against his lips, dancing on his tongue like a thousand songs but nothing came out. No confession, no proclamation, no heartfelt oath, not even a promise.

“You’re going to be a great Dad when you stop being stubborn and adopt those boys.” He said instead, watching the mirth brighten Shinsuke’s face as he shook his head.

“I have an interview with an adoptee this afternoon. They’ll be better off with someone devoted to them.”

Aran didn’t bother to mention that Shinsuke was already devoted to them. He didn’t think it needed saying, Shinsuke knew it. He just needed a little time to grow and learn how to change the routine he held himself so dear to. 

Aran would be there this time, every step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter is going to be a little bit of a break between. Rintaro, Hitoshi, and Akagi's POV. Thank you so much for your support!  
> Follow me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji or Tumblr @miracleboiz


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lot to fun to write lol, I think I just have a weak spot for Akagi.   
> Let me know what you think!

Suna Rintaro wasn’t the biggest fan of people. He didn’t really have a lot of experience with them as it was, and when he did they tended to just rub him the wrong way.

If he went with his parents to events he had to deal with countless adults asking if he was as smart as his parents, if he was going to be doctors like them, could he even read? If he said yes he was as smart as them, no he wasn’t going to be a doctor because they never seemed happy, and ‘I’m six not three, do  _ you _ know how to read?’ Then he had to deal with two hours of admonishments about pride instead of leaving him alone.

On the other hand, the other kids at school felt like screaming babies. Rintaro already knew how to write his name in Katakana, Kanji, and Hiragana, and yet they just went over it every single day. The other kids were still scratching out the characters slowly as if they’d never read anything before and Rintaro was  _ bored _ .

Not to mention how often he had to deal with laughter when he used bigger words and the teachers would ask if he actually knew what they meant. Why would he use it if he didn’t know what it meant?

Hitoshi, atleast, seemed to catch on quickly to what Rintaro was saying. He could actually talk and didn’t care if Rintaro said too many big words. Plus he didn’t seem to care if Rintaro wanted to drag him around town trying new things.

Hitoshi did have a strange crush on Matsukawa Shinji that Rintaro just couldn’t understand. Shinji was nice but… boring. Shigeru was much more interesting, he could not only keep up with Rintaro in class but also wouldn’t cry if Rintaro punched him. What more could someone want in a rival?

Overall, Rintaro didn’t like people and liked having a single friend and a single enemy and not having to worry about anything else.

Then he met the Miya twins.

He wasn’t sure about Atsumu, he seemed angry and Rintaro didn’t really think that was worth dealing with. He was nice enough when talking though, and he was nice to Hitoshi so Rintaro couldn’t write him off just yet. If he was good enough for Hitoshi to like then Rintaro could put up with some anger issues.

Osamu though, was interesting. He seemed quiet like Hitoshi at first, until Rintaro started poking and prodding with a few quick words about his brother. Instantly he’d started to puff up like an angry bird before Rintaro had added that they could be friends. The bewilderment in his eyes was well worth risking getting punched, in Rintaro’s opinion.

Osamu had settled a lot faster into ‘friendship’ then Rintaro had expected. Most of the other kids still wanted to punch him even after nine months of school, but Osamu genuinely seemed to want to be friends. Even after Rintaro had scared him by fighting with Shigeru.

Secretly, guilt rolled in his stomach about that. He still didn’t understand why Osamu had looked so shaken when Ito-sensei came over to yell at them, it wasn’t like adults didn’t yell all the time. Yet Osamu looked seconds away from tears even after lunch ended and he’d held onto his brother the entire way, only cheering up a little when Shinji started talking to him quietly.

“Hey… Don’t be mean to Osamu or Atsumu…” Rintaro was shaken from his thoughts by Shigeru’s voice, so much softer than he’d ever heard. His rival’s eyes were pointed directly at his brother, looking almost sad.

“Why the hell would-” Rintaro started, anger filling his chest. He wasn’t like his parents, he didn’t just bully people for being sad.

A hand smacked his chest, narrowly avoiding Hitoshi who squeaked quietly before trying to square his shoulders in case another fist fight broke out.

“I’m serious! He’s not like you, okay?” Shigeru hissed, finally turning to look at him. “He’s like me… He’s a foster kid, the other kids are going to find out soon and they’re gonna be mean, real mean. Remember my first week? Me and Shinji didn’t tell anyone but they found out and kept pickin’ on him until I punched ‘em. They’re gonna find out, and I don’t care how long we’ve been friends. If you bully them I’ll punch you too.”

Rintaro froze, glancing over at the two twins talking with Shinji and then back to the silver haired one who had him stuck in the middle of the hall. How long had he and Shigeru been friends? Were they seriously adopted?

After a second, Rintaro realized he was an idiot for not noticing sooner, but it wasn’t like he listened to the other kids and their gossip anyways.

“I’m not going to say anything… I don’t care about that.” Rintaro insisted, glaring back at Shigeru until the other kid finally dropped his hand. “Who cares if they’re adopted? Atleast that means their parents want them.”

“... Sorry, Rin.” Shigeru muttered, gently punching his shoulder with a half smile. Rintaro punched him back and the smile immediately brightened, seconds before an actual blow bounced off his arm and the silver haired rat took off.

Hitoshi immediately wrapped his arms around Rintaro’s left arm, keeping him from running after Shigeru.

“Why’dya always gotta fight with him?” Hitoshi whined, blinking up at him when Rintaro glowered at him. Hitoshi had long since learned that while Rintaro would fight Shigeru any day of the week, he wouldn’t hit anyone else. Which sucked, because now he didn’t care about putting himself between them and Rintaro couldn’t do anything.

“He punched  _ me? _ ” Rintaro whined right back, letting himself be dragged towards the classroom again. “Besides, he likes it.”

“.... Just… Don’t hurt him.” Hitoshi said, squeaking when Rintaro stopped and looked at him with a scrunched up face.

“Ew, don’t tell me you… _like_ _Shigeru?_ Atleast Shinji's pretty, Shigeru’s like… like… a ungly mean creampuff.” 

“Wha- No!” Hitoshi shook his head, looking embarrassed. “I just… Rin-kun… I… Papa hit mama and she left. And if Shigeru leaves then you’re going to be really upset and I’m going to be upset and then I’m going to cry and then Neesan will tell me to shut up and then you’re going to be angry and then I’m going to cry again and-”

“Hitoshi, breathe.” Rintaro reached forward in a panic, smooshing Hitoshi’s cheeks together and the smaller child sucked in a loud breath and let it out again. Directly into Rintaro’s face.

“Ewww, you’re gross… And you didn’t brush your teeth this morning. I can smell nachos from yesterday.” Rintaro pressed his cheeks again. “I won’t hurt Shigeru. Pinky promise.”

He held out his hand and Hitoshi watched him, face still red from his momentary panic before he nodded, reaching and curling their pinkies together.

“Hey! Slowpokes, are ya comin’?” Shigeru’s face came from the class, glancing up at the clock across the room. “You’re going to be late.”

“Don’t close the door!” Hitoshi and Rintaro yelled, running at the room as the bell rang.

“Hey, Osamu,” Rintaro said quietly, offering Shigeru the scissors.

They were separated into groups and Atsumu, Hitoshi, and Shinji had been banished to the other side of the room after Shinji and Shigeru had started to giggle together too loudly. Thankfully both Atsumu and Hitoshi seemed fine with it, beyond a few eyerolls from Atsumu. Rintaro was worried Atsumu or Osamu were going to start crying at being separated again but whatever Shinji had said to them after lunch had apparently helped.

“Mm?” Osamu looked up from his paper, a shredded piece of paper stuck to his cheek. His face was rather blank when his brother wasn’t around, which Rintaro found strangely comforting. Finally he wasn’t the only one with a ‘dead face’ as his mother called it.

“What’s it like bein’ wanted? Y’know by your parents? My parents don’t want me at all, but if you’re adopted, they chose ya right- Ow!” Rintaro spun to glower at Shigeru, whose foot was still against his leg. Shigeru’s face was scrunched up in anger as he glared back, opening his mouth probably to tell Rintaro off.

“I wouldn’t know.” Osamu said, and Rintaro turned back to see him staring at his paper. “No ones ever wanted me. Well, ‘cept ‘Tsumu.”

Rintaro froze, terrified to press for more. He thought Shigeru said Osamu was like him, which would mean that he was adopted right? Or were his parents like Rin’s?

Another kick to his knee was followed by a hissed “Say you’re sorry, jerk! He’s doesn’t have parents yet.”

“S-sorry… I thought you were adopted already.” Rintaro tried to explain, trying to fix the guilt that was crushing his chest. 

“Oh…” Osamu brightened a little at the new information before shaking his head. “No, no, Shinsuke-san is just fostering us,  _ cuz _ no one wants us…. I do hope he decides to let us stay though… He’s a lot nicer than the other foster parents.”

Rintaro wasn’t sure what to say to that. Though… His parents probably wouldn’t notice a new kid in the house and he knew how to write their signatures…

“I really like Shinsuke-san,” Osamu continued, his voice soft as he glued together two shapes. “He’s really nice and I think he likes us too… And I like going to the shop, ‘cuz it’s pretty and it’s fun to make things with all the ribbons. And I don’t want to lose my friends again when I have to leave.”

Rintaro blinked twice at him before reaching over and hugging him as tightly as he could.

“If anyone tries to send you away, me ‘n Shigeru’ll fight ‘em and you can stay with us.” Rintaro promised. “Pinky promise… Or you can stay with Hitoshi-kun, his Okaasan is super super nice, you just have to watch out for his neesan because she likes to bully people who are shorter than her, but I’ll fight her for you and you can just hang out with his Okaasan.”

Shigeru collapses onto Osamu’s other side, squeezing him between his two new friends.

“And if she can’t take you, I’ll ask Tatay and you can be my new baby brother and Atsumu too and you can be Akira’s big brothers and he’ll hug you for hours and be grumpy about it.” Shigeru laughed, holding tighter and Osamu giggled.

Rintaro watched Osamu melt between them, trying to hug both of them at the same time while laughing. Three more shaped pieces of paper had been glued to his cheeks and a few shreds were on his fingers, transferring themselves to Rintaro. He couldn’t really bring himself to care.

He had two brand new friends now and he was going to protect them just like Hitoshi.

Hitoshi wasn’t a big fan of fighting. It had always scared him, even just watching cartoons on tv when he was a toddler would quickly send him into a crying fit. He remained the same through the first few months of school, crying at any minor argument between the other kids until the school bullies realized he was the easiest to pick on.

It continued until he heard them laughing at Rintaro for using ‘condescending’ towards their history teacher. In a flash of bravery he never saw coming, he’d spun around and told them to shut up.

“ _ You’re _ dumb, and  _ you’re _ condescending.” Hitoshi had shouted, bringing everything to a standstill as the awful realization washed over him that he’d yelled at someone who could hit him. He’d been sent to the office for the remainder of class and by the time he’d returned he’d found himself with his first school friend.

He didn’t mind only having one friend. Rintaro was always really nice to him and liked to teach him new words just like Hitoshi’s mom had done before she had to get a second job. He never left Hitoshi alone or ran off with other people and forgot about him and he even got his neesan to stop calling him a baby.

Hitoshi didn’t think Shigeru counted as his friend because he was  _ always _ messing around with Rintaro but he was nice so Hitoshi didn’t mind it when he came over to play during recess or spent the classes talking with Rintaro. After all, Shigeru might decide Hitoshi was interesting too and then he’d have  _ two _ friends.

He’d tried to become friends with Shinji, after all the Matsukawa brothers were known as the friendliest in the entire school and the least scary. However, twenty seconds into being handed a fresh muffin from a smiling Shinji for saying hello, Hitoshi had decided he would never talk to him again. The hot face and nervous stomach was not worth a muffin, even if he did think Shinji was very nice. Very very nice.

Rintaro thought his ‘crush’ was funny but Hitoshi honestly just wanted to give Shinji something cool back. Since he didn’t have anything as nice as a fresh muffin, Hitoshi was just going to never talk to Shinji again.

It was foolproof.

Until the new kid, who was also nice but didn’t have muffins, immediately started a conversation with Shinji with absolutely no hesitation or worry. Hitoshi didn’t know what he was more jealous of, the fact that the new kid could make friends so quickly or that he didn’t get super nervous just by looking at Shinji.

Now, he was squished between Shinji and Atsumu in the back corner of the room trying to glue together a bunch of paper shapes to make cards. Part of Hitoshi wondered if this was payback for every time he didn’t stop Rintaro from eating Shigeru’s lunch. 

The gods must have been laughing because as soon as Shinji sat down he was pulling out two slightly squashed cupcakes.

Internally Hitoshi swore he was going straight home today and giving the gods anything they wanted if they stopped torturing him. Instead of saying any of that, he just inclined his head gratefully to Shinji and shoved the cupcake in his mouth before the teacher noticed and told them to put it away.

Atsumu was carefully peeling his and nibbling at the rich pink and white frosting, a giant cat cut out from paper in front of him. Hitoshi took a moment to watch him, curious.

Everyone in school knew Shinji and Shigeru weren’t the Matsukawa’s real kids, but it wasn’t the same thing. They were already adopted, but the Miya twins were actual foster kids and Hitoshi had never met one of them before.

Atsumu didn’t look any different then the other kids, other than the black bruises down the side of his face but Hitoshi barely noticed them. His mom was really clumsy too and used to have bruises all the time too.

He was a little grumpier then Hitoshi thought especially since Shigeru and Shinji were always so happy. Then he thought about it. If he was taken away from his mom he’d be upset and angry too and Atsumu didn’t even have a mom or dad to go home too. 

“What’re you starin’ at me for?” Atsumu grumbled and Hitoshi jumped, squeaking out an apology and shrinking down when he was glared at.

“Atsumu,” Shinji intervened with the talent of someone used to keeping Shigeru from fighting other kids, “he was just looking at you. Hitoshi-kun doesn’t talk much, he was probably just trying to think of something to say… right Hitoshi-kun?”

The urge to run screaming to hide behind Rintaro built in his chest as Hitoshi nodded, trying not to look Shinji in the eye in case he turned into a tomato. That didn’t stop Shinji from smiling as widely as he could at him before turning to Atsumu.

“See? You don’t have to be mean to your friends, Atsumu… and yes, being grumpy at them is mean.” Shinji giggled, endlessly cheerful as Atsumu seemed to sulk slightly in his chair. Hitoshi couldn’t help but be fascinated by him.

He had been so nice at first even if he was really protective of his brother, and now he was grumpy again. Was it because Osamu was having fun without him? Hitoshi’s neesan always had fun without him so he didn’t really see the problem.

“Atsumu-kun,” Hitoshi started, only to squeak as a paper ball struck the back of his head.

Sniggers erupted behind him and Hitoshi sighed, shrinking down slightly. This was why he always tried to group up with Rintaro and Shigeru. No one was going to fight those two just to make him cry.

“Hitoshi-kun?” Atsumu looked confused at his squeak, head tilted almost completely to his shoulder. Shinji on the other hand, already had his eyes narrowed on the group of laughing kids behind them.

“It’s okay, really… Really Shinji-kun, it’s okay.” Hitoshi tried to insist without letting his voice pitch too high. Shinji glanced at him before sighing and offering him the glue stick.

“You know, you should just tell Shigeru,” Shinji said, silver eyes glowing with a surprising amount of hostility, “He’d take care of any bullies.”

“Shigeru-kun would get in trouble for it and it’s not worth getting in trouble for me. I can handle it-” Two more balls smacked against his back, tearing out a small shriek before Hitoshi clamped his hands over his mouth.

The sounds of two chairs being thrown back made the room go silent as both Atsumu and Shinji stood up. There was a moment of silence as everyone else tried to understand what was going on and Hitoshi had to wave his hand frantically to stop Rintaro and Shigeru from rising up.

“Atsumu-kun! Shinji-kun! What are you two doing? Sit back down.” The teacher called from the front, lips twisted in a frown. “Don’t make me have to call your parents, especially you Shinji-kun. You haven’t been listening at all today, its not like you.”

Slowly, they lowered themselves back into their seats. Shinji looked only a little annoyed but Atsumu looked genuinely upset and Hitoshi immediately scooted closer.

“It’s okay, really.” Hitoshi whispered over to him, trying to offer him a crayon. “I’m used to it, don’t get in trouble with the teacher.”

“I don’t care about the teacher, but Shinsuke-san…” Atsumu cut himself off, looking close to tears.

“Shinsuke-san?” Hitoshi prompted, glancing up when Shinji stood up and started making his way to the teacher.

“Shinsuke-san… is my… foster parent.” Atsumu looked away, voice getting softer and softer as if he was embarrassed by what he was saying.

“Is he… mean?” Hitoshi said after a moment of confusion. Atsumu looked up immediately, shaking his head panickedly.

“No! No, Shinsuke-san is really really nice… He’s… He’s the nicest parent I’ve ever had… but foster parents don’t like it when you get into trouble… they say you make them look bad and then they don’t want you anymore… and if… If we do really good then… Shinsuke-san might keep Osamu so… Osamu will have a dad.”

Hitoshi hesitated, trying to think it all over. How could a child make their parents look bad? His mother loved him no matter how bad Hitoshi did in school or if he got in trouble. She’d be upset but she always wanted him, always loved him. 

Suddenly Hitoshi felt terrible for anytime he’d thought about wanting parents like the other kids. At least he had his mom and she’d do anything for him. Osamu and Atsumu didn’t have anyone at all.

“What about you? Why don’t you get to be adopted?” Hitoshi forced the question out, certain he didn’t want to hear the answer. Atsumu looked confused at Hitoshi’s question, like he couldn’t understand why Hitoshi didn’t already know.

“No one wants me, Hitoshi-kun. I’m a bad kid. Kids like me… we just get kicked around until we’re adults then we take care of ourselves. Nobody willingly adopts trouble-makers. But Osamu is a good kid, he listens to all of his elders and eats his vegetables and he’s good at cleaning. He never talks too much and doesn’t trip and get hurt or make too much noise. If he gets adopted then he won’t have to leave, and he can be happy.” Atsumu didn’t seem to see anything wrong with what he said but Hitoshi felt sick.

His mother always told him that there was no such thing as a bad kid, just a misunderstood one. How could anyone tell Atsumu he was bad? He was nice, even if he was grumpy, he just wanted to protect his brother.

He opened his mouth, ready to tell Atsumu that he and his brother could move in when a pencil smacked against his cheek.

He yelped, immediately shielding his eye as his cheek twinged with pain. Atsumu was standing up again, hand closing around Hitoshi’s shirt like he was going to throw Hitoshi behind him.

“No, what about, what about Shinsuke-san?” Hitoshi squeaked and Atsumu froze. Guilt and panic flooded Atsumu’s eyes.

“Sensei, they’re…” Atsumu said, barely catching her attention from Shinji who immediately stopped talking, looking worried. “They’re throwing things at Hitoshi-kun.”

Atsumu seemed to be shaking even as the teacher glanced over at the other group of tables. She sighed, shaking her head at them.

“You and Shinji both today, stop it with the tattling.” The teacher sighed, shaking her head and pointing back at their table. “Finish your cards, I don’t want to hear anything else about this. They’re just paper balls.”

Atsumu looked as sick as Hitoshi felt, watching Shinji walk towards them with stiff shoulders. The sniggers were grating on Hitoshi’s ears as Shinji took his seat, all of their faces bright red after the teacher’s words.

“I’m sorry,” Hitoshi whimpered, tears already starting to leak out of his eyes.

“No, Hitoshi-kun. It’s not your fault.” Shinji reached out, trying to wipe them away but it did nothing to stop the stream. Instead he just hiccuped and sobbed, nodding his head. 

His new friend was getting in trouble because of him and Atsumu looked scared and it was Hitoshi’s fault. Hitoshi got him in trouble and he might get in trouble at home too. Hitoshi just messed up everything, every time, he couldn’t do anything right.

Atsumu reached over, trying to nudge his new friend to break him out of his panic when he hit someone else. He looked up to see the kid sitting behind them that had thrown the pencil. Already Atsumu wanted to smack him to get him away from Hitoshi.

“What are you two doing with this baby? I know your brother likes to hang out with them but I thought you were better than that Shinji-kun.” The other kid said, sneering down at Hitoshi’s choked sobs. “He’s just a baby, he shouldn’t even be in school.”

“Shut up.” Shinji snapped, turning to Hitoshi and dabbing at his eyes with his sleeve. “It’s okay Hitosh-kuni, don’t listen to him. It’s okay.”

“Seriously? He can’t even stop crying.” The kid looked disgusted, turning and shoving Hitoshi out of the chair. “Look he’s just a-”

Whatever he was, he didn’t get to share because Shinji launched himself out of his chair with a string of words that didn’t sound like Japanese. In seconds the other boy was on the ground, the full weight of the older student on him and holding him down.

Atsumu didn’t even think, moving to Hitoshi’s side and pulling him up to his feet before standing in front of him, arms out in case anyone else tried to hit him.

“Shinji! Atsumu! What are you two doing?” The teacher yelled and Atsumu’s heart sank.

Shinsuke was going to be so upset with him.

Akagi had known Kita Shinsuke since their first year of middle school. Since the moment the kid had taken the watch Akagi had stolen from the middle school bully and put it back in the bully’s bag and sat by passively as the teacher admonished the bully for lying about thieves.

“You shouldn’t have stolen it… But he shouldn’t have broken Yuna-chan’s nose.” Shinsuke had said and Akagi had refused to leave his side ever since.

He’d met Ojiro Aran on the first day of highschool with a spike to the face and he’d never made a friend faster.

He’d grown up with them and watched his team spread apart.

Akagi never worried for Aran. Aran knew where he was going and absolutely no one would ever stop him. Until he basically dropped off the map three years ago.

Sure, Akagi knew he was actually just in France and he was still playing at the top. Yet, even Akagi who spent his days travelling over the entire world freelance saw their friends more than he did. For three years Akagi only saw him once a year, still happy, still healthy, but so far away.

Oomimi, of course, was never someone anyone had to worry about. He was the only one Akagi knew should actually be trusted to be an adult, because even after having the title for ten years Akagi knew  _ he _ wasn’t an adult. He’d chosen to become a social worker, helping children and trying to battle against the system to protect them.

He always left a key for Akagi and never minded a visit. He always checked up on Shinsuke and kept updates on Aran as best as he could between the man’s erratic texting skills.

Shinsuke, however, Shinsuke always worried Akagi.

Not because he wasn’t mature, no, no, he was the most emotionally aware and probably the strongest person Akagi had ever met. Sometimes, though, Shinsuke would get trapped in his own mind without realizing it. 

He always had his routines, the way he’d clean the bathrooms at exactly 2:58 until 3:13 then move to the locker rooms and change in precisely three minutes. He’d stretch for ten minutes, run four laps and stretch for another three. Then serves, then blocking, then receives. Everything was planned and ordered and any deviation would scratch at him like an itch until he either broke or fixed his schedule.

Shinsuke’d become more tolerant of mishaps in his routine as he got older, no longer completely breaking down when not able to finish something properly. He’d insisted that he learn how to handle it, refusing to lose even a second of his life to panic.

He was doing well, Akagi knew it. He adapted to the changing schedules of his employees, making his own routine in little things. Getting up, cleaning the house, visiting the shop, leaving for the gym, evening reading. The foster kids helped, keeping him on his toes and away from a routine set in stone while he still got to encourage and help them.

Shinsuke always loved kids after all, and he’d been so excited to take after not only his Grandmother but his late parents’ old wedding shop. Then he’d quit being assigned foster kids, not through any fault of his but there just wasn’t as many in their area and the government wasn’t in the habit of shipping kids across prefectures over and over again.

Shinsuke had fallen into old habits. Every part of his day was perfectly planned out, even to the point of letting him craft a ‘plan’ for the next few years that panicked him to deviate from. Though he adjusted better than Akagi thought he would with the twins, he could still see the way it picked at him not being able to follow his routine.

He could see it in the way Shinsuke twitched toward the door before he’d remember he had promised to show Osamu how to make pancakes. The way his breath would catch when he saw the time and would shift to look away. Even the constant tapping of his fingers gave him away, the itch that burrowed in his mind and was driving him subtly insane.

The adoration for the twins was holding back the worst of the reactions but Akagi knew Shinsuke would start to crack soon if he couldn’t get it out. If he didn’t face it head on and start adjusting his ‘plan’ accordingly.

Akagi knew his best friend far too well. He saw the way Shinsuke had grown too attached to the boys, his endless pride for each tiny step in the right direction, the way he shifted his routine to try and welcome them regardless of the internal consequences. Yet Shinsuke insisted he was going to let them go and find them a ‘proper’ home as if they couldn’t all see how much Shinsuke loved them. He would hold to that ‘plan’ until he was torn apart.

Which was why Akagi had harassed Tooru into helping him. Tooru hadn’t been the most willing, as loyal to their boss as everyone else in the shop but he also was the most stubborn. Once he heard about Shinsuke refusing to take a day off, he’d immediately jumped on board and promised to keep Shinsuke out of the shop. Then Akagi told a white lie to Oomimi and waited until he knew Shinsuke was going stir crazy after a too long set routine of constant mental and physical stimulation and told Oomimi to call him and ask him where he was.

Akagi hadn’t planned on Aran taking such advantage of the chance to hold Shinsuke, much less straight up hold his hand, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Even now, as he skated toward the rink wall, he could see them sitting together with Shinsuke’s head on his shoulder as they talked.

“If they find out you’re trying to set them up, you’ll be in trouble.” Oomimi hummed, offering him a water bottle. The tall social worker didn’t seem bothered by Akagi’s tricks, but he’d also known Akagi was going to try and shove Aran and Shinsuke together from the moment Aran was back in town.

“It’s okay, Oomimi-kun will protect me.” Akagi laughed, fluttering his eyes at the bored look in Oomimi’s eyes. “Besides, they’re so busy just starin’ at each other they wouldn’t notice if I stripped naked.”

Oomimi froze, eyes narrowed before he relaxed again when he realized Akagi meant it only as a joke.

“Why do you care anyways? You don’t even believe in romance.” Oomimi sighed, taking back the water bottle and putting it on the bench behind him. He glanced back at the two, watching their lips curve up in identical smiles neither party aware of it. Much more and Oomimi was going to have to interrupt to tell them to either kiss or stop looking at each other like that.

“I don’t  _ not _ believe in romance,” Akagi said, flicking his hand dismissively, “I just think most people chase after it thinking it’s this great feeling. Then they give up as soon as it goes away. I find it shallow and honestly boring, makes me glad I don’t have to deal with it. But…”

His eyes traveled to the two talking, the light pink on Shinsuke’s cheeks and the laughter coming from Aran. In over fourteen years, he’d never seen them look at anyone else like they looked at each other. They just molded together perfectly, enhancing every moment and supporting each other endlessly. Theirs was the only romantic story that could ever make Akagi wonder what it would be like if he felt the same romantic feelings they did.

“They make each other happy. Even just being friends, they’re really happy. They know each other even after being apart, ‘Mimi. They know how to keep each other stable and they deserve to have that. They’re just both dumb. Aran’s stuck in his own world of ‘someone like Shinsuke could never love me, because I’m a big dumb gay baby’ and Shinsuke’s stuck in this world of ‘If I didn’t put it in the plan it’s not happening and I will fight the gods for my right to fuck up my own life.’ I love them so much.”

Oomimi snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Michinari. Stop bullying them.”

“Ren, make me.” Akagi stuck out his tongue and Oomimi rolled his eyes, reaching out to flick his nose.

“They’ll figure it out. You don’t have to push them together, they’re adults now.” Oomimi looked rather amused, leaning against the skating wall. “Trust me. Everything’s going to be just fine.”

“... You sound a little bit too certain of that.” Akagi narrowed his eyes at his best friend, gasping at the curve of his mouth moving up. “What did you do?”

“I don’t know what you mean… But I will tell you that you should buy a house if Shinsuke doesn’t decide to adopt the boys in two weeks because Aran still lives in an apartment and I’ve got so many paperwork packets that just need signatures.”

“So… If Shinsuke doesn’t adopt the boys… I get to adopt them.” Akagi gasped, amusement flooding through him as Oomimi seemed to immediately regret what he’d said.

“On the other hand, I can buy a house and just give it to Aran, it’s fine.”

“What! No, no I want the boys. Give me the twins, I pinky promise I’ll only teach them a few bad words.” Akagi whined, squawking when another voice cut in.

“You will not be teaching the boys any bad words.” Shinsuke was half wrapped around Aran’s arm, still slipping even on the rubber mats. He looked only mildly annoyed in the turn of his lips, his gaze bright with amusement and Akagi cackled softly.

Aran looked as soft as ever, easily carrying Shinsuke’s weight and looking at his two other friends. He still had a tinge of dark blush over his cheeks and Akagi had to admit he was cute, no wonder so many people had confessed to him senior year.

“Hey, Aran, marry me and we’ll steal Kita’s kids.” Akagi chirped, laughing even louder when Aran face palmed.

“I’m not marrying you to adopt the twins, I’ll just adopt them on my own.” Aran said, ignoring Akagi’s dramatic gasp.

“Don’t touch my kids… Don’t let him touch my kids. Osamu doesn’t need to know any bad words, he’d like them far too much.” Shinsuke said, looking at Oomimi before stepping towards the ice carefully.

Akagi held his breath, hoping to hear him squeak or yelp but he got nothing. How boring, his friends were so inconsiderate to not help him out and give him something to laugh at them for.

Aran held him carefully until he was sure Shinsuke wouldn’t fall, then stepped after him. Akagi yowled as an arm wrapped around his neck and tucked him into a firm chest, then he relaxed, sticking his tongue up at Aran.

“C’mon Ren. You can watch me fall.” Shinsuke teased, holding his hand out to Oomimi who sighed dramatically before skating over to Shinsuke’s side and taking his hand.

“If we go down, we’re taking them with us.” Oomimi told Shinsuke who nodded and tightened his hold on Aran.

“Oh I plan too.”

Aran’s complaint made them all laugh and Akagi relaxed into his friend's hold. Aran shook his head at Shinsuke, eyes gentle and adoring as he looked down at his best friend. Akagi took the first step forward, dragging them all forward. Oomimi was right, they would be just fine. All of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Talk to me on Twitter @Watacchishinji


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long! I was up since 2am with my SDiT to get her used to the fireworks and then she didn't want to lay down till like 6 in the evening.  
> We have some ANGST coming up in the next few chapters so put your seatbelts on and prepare to ride because angst is my fav. There will be tears, maybe some screaming, definitely Akagi and comfort. but we're only on 'week' two so we have quite a ways to go before this gets it's happy ending.

Shinsuke was a little stunned to get dropped off at the shop and come face to face with a rather annoyed looking Oikawa. He was nearly as bundled up as Shinsuke as he moved to quickly greet him before grabbing his elbow and dragging him down the street.

“Am I in trouble again?” Shinsuke asked after a moment, glancing back to see a rather concerned looking Akagi staring after them like an abandoned puppy.

“Not you…” Tooru grumbled, breathing in once and holding it before letting it out again. “Just keep walking… Shinji and Atsumu were fighting.”

Shinsuke nearly froze but the part of his mind not covered with shock kept him moving. Atsumu? Atsumu always went out of his way to avoid fighting, he was always worried about getting into trouble. Not to mention Shinji.

Shinsuke thought Atsumu really liked Shinji, he was the quietest and the least likely to hurt anyone's feelings. Ignoring the whole, marrying him for treats part, Shinsuke couldn’t think of a single reason they would have been fighting.

“Did one of them get hurt?” He asked, heart jumping into his throat at the idea of another bruise on Atsumu. Another wound he’d try to hide and cry over at night.

“They said no one was hurt, just scared…” Tooru’s face was pinched before he glanced over at Shinsuke. “Sorry, they called about thirty minutes ago but I didn’t want to interrupt your first proper day off… I’m pretty sure it was Shinji’s fault, he takes after his mother and she was always quiet before throwing a few punches. The Principal didn’t really bother to tell me what exactly happened.”

“What were they fighting about? I can’t really believe Shinji would actually hit Atsumu, Michinari said they were getting along great when Atsumu went over to the bakery…” Shinsuke said carefully, not wanting to spook Tooru who looked stressed enough. Tooru blinked, glancing over at him with confusion.

“What- Oh no, no, sorry they weren’t fighting with each other, they got in a fight  _ together _ .” Tooru said and a mix of relief and panic shot through Shinsuke. He wasn’t sure how he would have handled the knowledge that Atsumu had willingly fought the only member of the Matsukawa family who didn’t actively look for a fight.

Then panic settled in.

“Is Osamu okay?” Shinsuke asked, the only reason Atsumu could  _ ever _ risk getting into trouble was to protect his brother. Actually, even then that was pushing it, Atsumu would take a thousand hits before he willingly acted out and risked getting himself or Osamu in trouble.

“Yeah, uh, he’s pretty upset though. Started yelling when the teacher dragged Atsumu and Shinji out of the room, he’s with Shigeru and a few of his friends. Or so the principal told me.” Tooru said, squeezing Shinsuke’s elbow gently with an understanding look on his face. “Let’s just get there and find out what’s going on okay? No need to worry yet.”

Shinsuke wished he could share that same optimism but his gut was churning with worry.

As soon as he saw Atsumu his stomach seemed to turn into lead. Instead of the semi-nervous but willing boy he’d dropped off that morning, the child in front of him looked like stone.

His back was curled, his backpack tightly clutched against his stomach. Atsumu’s eyes didn’t even twitch when Shinsuke called out his name softly. They just stayed pointed at the ground, even as Shinsuke moved to his side.

Shinji, sitting beside Atsumu, jumped up at the sight of Tooru.

“Papa!” He chirped in surprise, before looking at the principal with a slightly chastised expression. Tooru glanced at Shinsuke before moving towards his own kid and drawing him away from Atsumu a few steps.

“What happened?” Tooru asked, barely sparing the principal a glance when he started to talk. “I’m asking Shinji, I want to hear his side.”

Shinsuke tuned them out for a moment, not particularly caring about the principal’s insistence on talking to them first. Instead he crouched beside Atsumu, gently reaching out to touch his knee.

“Atsumu? Can you hear me?” He asked, hesitating an inch from his leg. “I’m going to touch you now. It’s just me, Atsumu, it’s just Shinsuke.”

Atsumu still flinched at the gentle touch, eyes squeezing shut and his breath loud with a gasp. After a second he relaxed again, eyes still tightly shut.

“Atsumu, is this okay?” Shinsuke lowered his voice, glancing once at Tooru’s agitated voice until he lowered it. “Can I touch you?”

He didn’t ask again, waiting patiently. Sharp gasps broke from Atsumu’s throat and he struggled to push them down again, curling against the backpack like it was a life line.

“Atsumu, can you shake your head or nod if it’s okay?” Shinsuke murmured, making sure to keep his voice loud enough for him to hear but not enough to startle him. Slowly he pulled his hand back, prepared to talk until Atsumu focused again, when Atsumu’s head jerked down.

Amber eyes flashed for a second, unfocused and filled with tears before they were hidden away again. Shinsuke lowered his hand back down, watching the second jerky nod.

“Thank you… Do you want a hug? Just shake or nod, don’t worry about speaking.” Shinsuke soothed softly as the grip on the backpack tightened and then released. It was slow coming but another nod broke through the whirlwind Atsumu’s mind was trapped in.

“Can I move the backpack? I won’t take it away, just put it by your feet. You can hold onto me, I want you to. You’re not in trouble, Atsumu.” Shinsuke spoke as slowly as he could and still be understood, in short sentences so Atsumu wouldn’t have to try and scramble to process each one.

The fingers curled into the bag almost painfully white before Atsumu released it completely. Shinsuke’s free hand shot forward, barely managing to catch it before it crashed to the ground and sent Atsumu spiraling even further from panic. He lowered it slowly to the ground, watching it slowly melt against the hard floor until it was flat, the residual sound of pencils and crayons rustling like a thousand warning bells to his ears.

Atsumu didn’t seem to notice though, and Shinsuke moved closer on his knees until his fingertips just barely brushed above Atsumu’s elbow. He slowly increased the pressure, gently guiding Atsumu forward until the child’s arms were wrapped around his neck and his head was buried under Shinsuke’s chin.

“Thank you, Atsumu. You’re doing very good, I’m standing up now. If you need me to let go just shake your head. You don’t have to worry about speaking.” Shinsuke stroked his back slowly, moving his hand until he could direct Atsumu’s legs around his waist and carefully he leaned back until he could stand.

Atsumu didn’t make a single sound as Shinsuke moved one arm under him and left the other to carefully stroke Atsumu’s hair. The only sign that he wasn’t a statue was the quiet gasps and the way Atsumu clutched at him almost desperately. Slowly he seemed to relax, his breathing getting a little bit smoother and the tension started to bleed out of him.

Shinsuke turned carefully on the spot, closing his own eyes for a second to push away the pain in his chest. He needed to look at this carefully, if Atsumu was hurting other kids then he needed to know and correct it before it escalated. He couldn’t give in to the heartache at seeing Atsumu so absolutely terrified and lost in his own panic, not yet at least.

“Shinji,” Shinsuke said the name low, opening his eyes to look over at the child standing in front of another Shinsuke didn’t know. “What happened?”

The principal moved to interrupt before Shinsuke narrowed his eyes at him.

“There’s no need for theatrics, Atsumu-kun is fine, he’s just a little upset-”

“Do not push me right now. Atsumu is beyond just upset, and I specifically told you to  _ never _ remove him from his brother. Yet he was here, alone and I wasn’t even called. I am speaking with Shinji, when he is done, then we will see if it’s your turn to speak.” Shinsuke’s voice was colder than ice, steel glinting in his eyes and the principal seemed to realize exactly how angry he was.

Shinji glanced back at the silent kid behind him, reaching back to squeeze his hand before launching into the tale.

It didn’t take long, unlike Tooru, Shinji had never had the flair for the dramatics of storytelling. With each word Shinsuke had to fight to control his temper and a single glance at Tooru told him he was doing the same.

“We told Sensei but she told us we were tattling and then Aito came over and started bullying Hitoshi again! He pushed him off his chair and was calling him a baby and saying he didn’t belong here. Atsumu didn’t do anything but protect Hitoshi.” Shinji was saying, looking more than a little puffed up with anger. “ _ I _ knocked Aito down and held him. Because Sensei wouldn’t protect Hitoshi! He was bleedin’ from the pencil. He’s always scared ‘cuz of them. Atsumu didn’t do anything!”

“Atsumu-kun didn’t try to stop you, either. You should have gone to Ito-sensei, and told her.” The principal insisted, not even bothering to look at the two angry parents as he stared down the seven year old. Shinji growled, not even remotely afraid or shy.

“I  _ did! _ She didn’t do anything when he was bleedin’ and crying. Aito hurt Hitoshi-kun and Ito-sensei let him.” Shinji shouted, riled much farther than Shinsuke had ever seen him and nearly in tears with anger. He took a breath holding it, after a second it seemed to be too much to contain and he let out a stream of words in Hindi.

Atsumu sobbed in Shinsuke’s arms, immediately tightening his grip on him at the sound of Shinji shouting. Shinsuke shot a glance at Tooru, quietly murmuring to Atsumu to breathe as he tried to soothe him.

Tooru stepped closer to his son, quietly leaning down and murmuring something in his ear. Instantly Shinji’s mouth shut and his eyes went wide with worry as he turned to look at Atsumu. A few more Hindi words fell from his mouth as he bowed his head, clearly apologetic, but the damage was already done though Shinsuke didn’t blame him in the least.

Atsumu sobbed again, a nearly crushing pressure on Shinsuke’s neck as he held himself tighter to him. Shinsuke squeezed back in response, wanting to reassure Atsumu that he wasn’t alone or in trouble.

“I’m here, Atsumu. Breathe.” Shinsuke stroked his hair, feeling him shake his head. He moved to lower him down but Atsumu shook his head harder, another cry coming from him as he held on tighter.

“I’m… I… I’m sorry… I’m sorry,” He cried, muffled against Shinsuke’s shirt. “I’m sorry Papa. Please don’t send me away.”

For a second, Shinsuke himself forgot how to breathe. The pain in his chest intensified and he nearly cried himself before he squeezed Atsumu closer.

“No one’s going to send you away Atsumu, it’s okay. I’m here, I’m here.” He murmured it against his head, not even bothering to care that both Tooru and the principal looked concerned.

How could he care about anything else when Atsumu, his… his  _ son _ was in so much pain?

Three more times he whispered the assurance into Atsumu’s ear before Atsumu’s hold finally slackened and he buried his face in Shinsuke’s shirt to cry silently.

Shinsuke could feel the protective rage bubbling under the pain that was destroying his heart. He looked back at the principal, uncaring of his look of surprise and curiosity.

Tooru had moved to quietly talk to the other kid behind Shinji, gently prodding at something on the kid’s cheek. Shinsuke assumed that was the ‘Hitoshi-kun’ Atsumu had tried to protect but he couldn’t quite focus on that.

“So.” Shinsuke said softly, careful not to startle Atsumu who had finally started to sniffle instead. “You consciously made the decision to remove Atsumu from his brother, the very thing I told you when I signed them up for class was  _ not _ to happen for their emotional health, because he didn’t let his friend be bullied? You terrified him and Shinji and probably Hitoshi-kun too, by dragging them up here and telling them they’re in trouble because  _ your _ teacher was incompetent?”

“They never told Ito-sensei about the pencil.” The Principal insisted, looking rather cornered. “Just about some paperballs. They’re harmless. Shinji and Atsumu should have told her when Hitoshi was bleeding, that’s clearly worse.”

“And how, may I ask, exactly are they supposed to know that?  _ They _ tried to reach out and your teacher ignored them. In fact, she embarrassed them in front of the whole class instead of calling them up to talk to her in private and figure out what was going on. The  _ moment _ she heard anyone was throwing something at someone else, she should have called Hitoshi up and checked to make sure he was okay. How  _ exactly are they supposed to know what’s important and not when you won’t give anything they say credence? _ ” Shinsuke barely held back the snarl he wanted to let out. Shinji and Atsumu and Hitoshi were  _ children _ for the Gods’ sake!

Children didn’t come from the womb aware of what was bad and what was good. They had to learn and every time Shinsuke heard the word ‘tattle’ he hated it more. How was a child supposed to learn what was or wasn’t important if every time they tried to talk about what was bothering them they were chastised for ‘tattling’?

No matter how inane or boring the issue was to an adult, it was  _ always _ important to the child. Children didn’t ‘tattle’, they pointed out things they thought were wrong or that bothered them asking for help. How could someone willingly spend their life teaching children and then forget how much it hurt to be ignored or embarrassed in front of the class?

“Well… They should have… they should have known that drawing blood-” The Principal started, clearly unsettled with the way things were going.

“Their teacher should have known when Shinji told her Hitoshi was upset.” Tooru cut him off, standing up again. “I want you to look me in the eye and tell me exactly what you called me in here for. Because, it sounds like you called me in to tell me how my son defended his friend who is currently bleeding and shaking like a leaf after  _ your _ teacher refused to help. Then had the audacity to blame Atsumu, who literally had  _ nothing _ to do with the fight and tried to tell the teacher what was happening. You broke an agreement you had with Shinsuke about the safety and well-being of both of the boys, then attempted to punish Atsumu and Shinji. Not even bothering to check on Hitoshi-kun or bring Aito or his family in here to explain why he thinks it’s okay to attack people literally sitting in their chairs.”

“Aito-kun is in the nurses office because he has a bruise from  _ your son _ -”

“Hitoshi-kun has  _ blood _ still coming out of an open wound and probably bruises from being shoved. Not to mention the mental toll it takes to deal with being attacked and then attacked again by your Principal who is supposed to  _ protect you. _ ” Tooru stepped in front of Hitoshi and Shinji, eyes gleaming with malice. “I would love to see you attempt to explain why that is to your board of directors, or even better a jury.”

The Principal paled instantly.

“There’s no need for that-”

“Then there’s no need for this to have ever happened.” Tooru’s lips twisted into a pleasant smile that made the mad look in his eyes much more dangerous. “Speak with Aito and his parents and make it clear who the actual instigator was, or I will make sure you never work with children again. And Ito-sensei should be spoken with as well about her handling of bullying. I’m not even going to bother trying to say to transfer classes, they have three more months till the end but I do  _ not _ want to be called from work again to find out that  _ you and your _ teachers are punishing any student for standing up for themselves or others.”

Shinsuke turned away, listening with one ear to the conversation as Atsumu stirred tiredly in his arms. He rubbed his back gently, shifting as Atsumu leaned back. Atsumu’s face was blotchy and tears stained his face but his eyes were clear as they focused on Shinsuke.

“Shi-shinsuke-san?” Atsumu asked shakily, blinking a few times. Shinsuke nodded, trying to push away the ache in his heart that wanted to choke him. Atsumu didn’t  _ have _ to call him Papa, that wasn’t required no matter how much Shinsuke wished he would.

“Yes, Atsumu?”

“... I didn’t do anything… I promise.” Atsumu sniffled, letting go of Shinsuke’s neck to scrub his face. “I swear, I was good and I didn’t hit anyone or fight anyone or-”

“Atsumu, sweetie, I know. You’re not in trouble.” Shinsuke soothed, giving Atsumu a small smile in the hopes that he would relax. It seemed to work and Atsumu scrubbed at his nose, trying to clear it of snot.

“C-can we check on Hitoshi?” He leaned in to whisper and Shinsuke nodded, not bothering to tell him he could speak louder. He was clearly still on edge and seeing Tooru and the principal arguing wasn’t helping at all.

“Of course, do you want me to put you down?” Shinsuke offered but Atsumu shook his head, wrapping his arms around his neck again. 

Shinsuke hummed, adjusting his grip again before carefully moving to where Shinji was standing still holding the other child’s hand. As soon as Atsumu saw Hitoshi look up he scrambled from Shinsuke’s arms and ran towards the other boy, pulling him into a hug.

“Atsumu-kun!” Hitoshi cried as he hugged back, letting go of Shinji. Shinji blinked at the sudden arrival of Atsumu before throwing his own arms around both of them.

Shinsuke moved closer, until he could sit in the chair beside Hitoshi. The cut wasn’t very deep but it was long and with blood indeed still welling up and there was a smear of graphite down his face from the pencil.

“I’m sorry I scared you, I didn’t mean to get so mad.” Shinji said, shifting to loop his arms under Atsumu’s and hugging him tightly. “Is this okay? I can let go if you need me too.”

“It’s okay. I… Didn’t mean to freak out either… I just..” Atsumu heistated, looking like he just might cry again when Hitoshi dragged the both of them closer, nearly pulling them onto the seat.

“I know… I get freaked out all the time.. That’s why Rin-kun always has crackers with him, when I get super scared and then feel better again I’m always hungry so Rin-kun carries crackers around. Maybe if we see him again we can see if it makes you feel better too.” Hitoshi chirped, looking rather chipper for a child who was still shaking like he was waiting to be struck with another pencil.

“Hitoshi-kun,” Shinsuke said softly, waiting for Hitoshi to notice him, “do you know where your parents are?”

“Okaa-san is probably at work, she can’t answer the phone or she could lose her job.” Hitoshi said, glancing around for a moment. “Oh! You’re Atsumu’s Shinsuke-san.”

Shinsuke’s lips twitched.

“Yes I am. What about your father? Anyone who can come get you?” Shinsuke asked but before Hitoshi could answer Atsumu was turning around, still being hugged by Shinji and Hitoshi quite aggressively. He reached out and tugged gently on Shinsuke’s shirt until Shinsuke leaned in.

“Hitoshi’s papa isn’t around. It’s just him and his mom and his nee-san who’s only a year older.” Atsumu whispered rather loudly in his ear but Shinsuke just nodded.

“Thank you for letting me know. Hitoshi, would you like me to walk you home? We can stop by my store on the way and get you a bandaid for your cut and make sure it doesn’t get infected.” Shinsuke offered, blinking in surprise when Shinji suddenly tightened his arms around Atsumu though Atsumu just tilted his head like a confused puppy.

“What if we go to my house and then Chichi and Baba can make cupcakes or or cookies and Hitoshi can meet Papa normally instead of when he’s all grumpy.” Shinji blurted, almost bouncing though Atsumu didn’t seem to mind it at all, turning back to Shinsuke. “Hitoshi-kun likes volleyball and he likes Papa, and he’s never been… Neither has Osamu! We can bring Rin-kun and Osamu-kun too.”

“Only if you say sorry for calling me grumpy.” Tooru’s voice made them all look as he walked closer, laying his hands gently on Shinji’s shoulders. Behind him the Principal was slipping into his office, looking worn out and worried. “What have we told you about shaking people when you hug?”

“Not to do it to babies.” Shinji said confidently and Shinsuke had to admire his resolve to be so calm and happy even after everything that had happened. Tooru’s rather blank face twitched into a smile as he snorted softly.

“No, we said to not do it period but  _ especially _ not to do it to babies.”

“Yeah, no babies here.”

“Keep smiling, you’re still in trouble for attacking someone. What would Hajime say if he was here?” Tooru admonished, making Atsumu and Hitoshi try and jump to their friend’s defense but Shinji just smiled even brighter. He wiggled, effectively shaking Atsumu and Hitoshi.

“Tatay would say ‘Next time, punch them in the nose like I taught you, don’t just tackle them this isn’t American Football’.”

Tooru blinked then sighed, looking at Shinsuke.

“That’s on me, Hajime would say that. Next guilt trip I’m using Hiro, he’s the best at making people guilty… Well.. the Principal will not be marking anyone's record, unfortunately not even Aito’s but he did promise to make sure he’s not in the same class as Hitoshi next year. There’s only three months of school left so there’s not much he can do about moving the kid sooner. You three are not in trouble and Osamu is not in trouble for yelling at the teacher-”

“Oh thank the gods, I thought I was going to be expelled and die.” A voice piped up, making them turn to see Osamu’s head around the corner of the hallway with Shigeru’s below it.

Shigeru blinked, staring at his father.

“I didn’t do anything… that can be proven.”

“... Let’s get outside before we test that theory,” Tooru said dryly, but Shinsuke could see his lips curving up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji or Tumblr @Miracleboiz.


	18. Chapter 18

The two hadn’t been the only ones hiding around the corner and Shinsuke had to hold Hitoshi up as another child rocketed forward and into him.

“Are you okay? You’re never allowed to go on any other group ever again!” The child cried, hugging Hitoshi as tightly as he could as Hitoshi hugged back.

“I’m okay Rin-kun. Shinji-kun protected me and Atsumu-kun.” Hitoshi chattered, almost uncaring of the way Rin-kun was attempting to latch onto him forever. Rin-kun looked over Hitoshi’s shoulder at the two other boys.

“Thanks…” He mumbled, turning back to Hitoshi to look over his cheek.

“Rin-kun,” Shinji called softly, “we’re going to go to the bakery, do you want to come with us?”

Rintaro blinked at them, eyeing Tooru almost suspiciously before nodding.

“I hafta tell Aran-kun we won’t be at practice though…” Rin said, making Osamu jump from where he’d latched onto his brother’s shirt and Shinsuke’s hand.

“You know Aran-kun?” He chirped, making Rintaro blink and slowly nod. “The one with the pretty puppy Lady?”

“Yes, me and Hitoshi-kun play volleyball with him sometimes… How do you know him?”

“He’s Shinsuke-san’s husband.” Osamu said cheerfully, swinging Shinsuke’s arm. Instantly Shinsuke’s face turned red, embarrassment flooding over him quickly followed by annoyance as Tooru turned to give him a quirked eyebrow. The other man opened his mouth to tease him before Atsumu spoke.

“No, stupid! He’s Shinsuke-san’s  _ boyfriend, _ they’re not married yet… Right Shinsuke-san?” Atsumu blinked up at Shinsuke, a hint of almost panic in his eyes. After thinking about it, it was clear to Atsumu that Shinsuke and Aran were dating. Why else would Shinsuke act differently with him? That didn’t mean Atsumu liked Aran yet, not at all. They could still get married and decide they didn’t want Osamu or him.

Shinsuke wasn’t sure if he wanted to face palm or just leave and go lay down for a bit. Tooru had turned away but his shoulders were absolutely shaking with laughter. If either of his two kids repeated that within ten miles of Michinari then Shinsuke was absolutely doomed.

“No… Osamu, Atsumu, Aran-san is  _ not _ my husband or my boyfriend.” Shinsuke said, blinking in surprise when the twin’s heads turned towards him and tilted in confusion.

“He’s… not?” Osamu sounded confused, looking at his brother as if he would have the answers. “Then… You’re not going to marry Oji-san right? I like Oji-san! But… I like how happy you are when Aran-kun comes over.”

“I don’t.” Atsumu grumbled, nearly intelligible.

This was punishment from the gods, Shinsuke was convinced. They had finally decided to get his revenge after he spent twenty-eight years not caring about them. Or this was punishment for not visiting his granny enough.

His heart seemed to beat heavier as embarrassment washed over him again as Tooru had to smother his laughter. Shinsuke shot him a venomous glare but it did nothing against the man who just grinned at him.

“No, I am not in a relationship with Aran-san. Nor am I going to marry Michinari.” Shinsuke sighed, reaching up to ruffle both of their heads. “Don’t go getting ideas of marrying me off just to get spoiled.”

He still couldn’t suppress the smile forcing his way onto his lips no matter how hard he tried. Between the twin’s being absolutely thrown off by the knowledge that Shinsuke was indeed single and realizing that Osamu atleast would be more than happy to have Aran as a dad, Shinsuke had no way to stop the affection bubbling in his chest.

He’d have to get to the bottom of Atsumu’s issue with Aran. Until then it still made him happier than he wanted to admit to think about raising the boys with Aran. That secret, however, would stay a secret a while longer.

“C’mon boys, before you try and make me marry Tooru, school’s already over. Let’s go get your bags and head over to the bakery okay? Rin-kun, I’ll let Aran-san know that you won’t be coming today, don’t worry about it.” Shinsuke said, quickly distracting them and rushing them along. He ignored Tooru’s pointed looks, keeping his eyes down on his kids so he wouldn’t cause Tooru to have another laughing fit.

“Welcome to Castle Bakery, I see you’ve managed to kidnap my kids and my secret husband. Are you coming to exchange them for pastries or just return them for being stinkers?” Takahiro called from behind the counter, leaning across it as they walked through the front door. The bakery wasn’t packed, most parents were at work and kids were at clubs.

Shinsuke gently moved Osamu’s hand from his wrist, letting him take hold of Shigeru instead as the smaller child dragged them in. Atsumu twisted and grabbed Shinji who was dragged off before he had a chance to grab Hitoshi and Ren. The two seemed a little overwhelmed so Shinsuke moved with them, letting Tooru move around them to greet his spouse? Boyfriend?

Shinsuke still wasn’t sure what they referred to themselves as Hajime always called them boyfriends and Tooru changed it every time he spoke. As long as they were happy, Shinsuke didn’t really see a point in asking for clarification.

Hitoshi and Rintaro both seemed amazed at the shop. Shinsuke glanced around too, wondering when the last time he’d actually been in there was.

The walls were painted a pretty cream white, a turquoise trim wherever the wall connected to something else. Even the counter was a vibrant blue against the tile floor. Along each wall were small round golden tables with cushioned chairs on either side.

A comfortable corner was tucked away with a ‘Little Free Library’ that was packed full of books. On the bottom shelf small toys spilled out that a toddler was happily playing with while her mother sat beside her on a couch, a small cupcake on the coffee table in front of her. 

It was comfortable despite the blaring white, probably helped by the long display rack that cut off the main room from the kitchen that was filled to the brim with goods in anticipation for elementary kids on their way home and workers looking for a snack. The gold paint seemed to glow and Shinsuke followed the two support beams up to the main sign. The long vines decorating it were new, though they looked nice against the black of the sign, a small crown carved out of one corner.

“We’re definitely trading Papa in,” Shinji was saying, ignoring Tooru’s betrayed gasp, “is Tatay here? I want to show him my new friends!”

“Okay so I’m not your favorite? Is that what you’re trying to tell me Shinji?” Tooru tried to chide his eldest but like usual Shinji didn’t seem even mildly phased as he shrugged.

“Tatay says he’s the cool one and you’re the weird one.”

“He’s the… I went to the Olympics!” Tooru tried to bluster through his words, hands on his chest.

“Yeah but Tatay and Baba can cook dinner.” Shinji smiled, turning and dragging Atsumu and Osamu back behind the counter as Shigeru let go of the twins.

“Don’t worry Papa, you’re my second favorite.” Shigeru smiled before he was pulling Rintaro along with him, Hitoshi staring almost reverently at Tooru. “Hitoshi-kun! Didn’t you hear Shinji? Papa’s the weird one, you can meet Tatay and Otou-san, come on.”

Hitoshi seemed to hesitate, glancing up at Tooru again before taking off after his friends.

“I’m not even going to ask Akira, he just likes whoever fed him last.” Tooru grumbled dejectedly. Takahiro laughed, leaning further over the counter to tug Tooru closer until he could kiss his cheek.

“Stop that, you’re  _ my _ favorite.” Takahiro said, smiling at him. The grin only got wider as Tooru wrinkled his nose.

“Last time you said that you made me eat spicy cake.”

“Yeah! That’s why you’re my favorite.” Takahiro chirped happily, leaning in to try and rub his nose with Tooru. Tooru stepped back, sticking out his tongue.

“I’m getting in on Aran and Shinsuke’s wedding, it’s too late, I’m sorry Takahiro.” Tooru spun, and Shinsuke barely avoided getting hugged. Unfortunately, Takahiro latched onto exactly what Tooru wanted him too.

“Ooh~ Aran-kun and Shinsuke-kun are finally getting married?” Takahiro gasped, holding a hand over his mouth.

“Finally? You don’t even know who he is.” Shinsuke said, giving him a flat look. Like Shinji, nothing seemed to faze him and he just smiled.

“Who said that? I have his old teammate as my favorite partner of the week-”

“It’s on a weekly basis?”

“And he tells me about  _ everything~ _ Not even mentioning that Hajime is Aran-kun’s personal trainer and apparently he has a thing for a pretty young thing with two foster boys.” Takahiro crooned, laughing again when Tooru’s teasing smirk turned into a frown again.

“I get it, I get it I’m old. It’s only a four year difference…”

They both ignored Tooru’s grumbling.

Shinsuke was honestly almost done with the way his cheeks flared red at even the mention of Aran’s name. Yes, he’d had this crush since he was sixteen, but that didn’t make it any less annoying. Arans’ name definitely should not be reminding him of how Aran looked helping the boys the first time they met or how willing Aran was to work with Atsumu and forgive him when he’d acted out (as non-dangerous as potatoes were it was still rude).

He was 100% done with other’s teasing him about Aran’s supposed crush on him. Even if it were true, and Shinsuke wouldn’t say it was impossible, it didn’t matter because Shinsuke had already chosen not to follow that path.

“Hajime-san can say what he wants, I’m not marrying Aran-san-” Shinsuke sighed as his phone went off. “I have to take this.”

“Have to, he says.” Tooru and Takahiro said together with a laugh, both of them leaning against the counter to watch him step away. Shinsuke didn’t know why he never caught on to their relationship, the two devils were perfect for each other.

“Hi Kita-san!” The overly chipper voice made him wince. “It’s Saito Rika, me and my husband are on our way to meet the twins.”

Shinsuke almost let out a stream of curses, chest aching as he remembered what was planned for this afternoon. He had completely forgotten the interview after school with the potential foster parents.

“Thank you for calling me, the boys had a rather rough day at school so I think it would be best to re-schedule-”

“Nonsense, it’ll be fine,” Saito-san said, “we’ll be there in about an hour.” 

The line went dead even as Shinsuke started to argue. He stared at the blank screen, worry and apprehension flooding through him. Any good adoptive parent would have known better than to force the first meeting if they were warned their prospective adoptees weren’t okay. If the boys had to deal with the stress of meeting someone new after this first day, it could completely set back everything Shinsuke had been doing for the past week.

He dialed the number back but it just rang through to the voicemail. Twice more he tried but he didn’t get an answer. He finally sent a text, asking them to call him about when they would reschedule for.

“Who was that?” Hiro chirped, straightening up as the door opened.

“Some people who wanted to meet with the boys to see about adopting them.” Shinsuke said, still frowning at his phone. He would have to turn them away at the door if they refused to listen and tell Oomimi to check on any others of their prospects. If they couldn’t even bother to answer the phone when he requested them not to come, he didn’t particularly trust them to listen to the boys.

He looked up when he realized Takahiro had been quite for some time. Takahiro was watching him, the slightest curl to his top lip before he shrugged and looked away.

“He’s your boss.” Was all he said, aiming it at Tooru, “I have customer’s, go play with the kids. I’ll see you later.”

Tooru was watching Shinsuke critically but he nodded to his partner’s words, reaching over the counter to squeeze his hand before moving out of the way. He hustled Shinsuke behind the counter and through the kitchen.

Four year old Akira was nibbling on a bowl of grapes on a table, Issei rolling out dough for a pie. He looked up as they came in, nodding his head at them.

“Hey pretty boy, the kids went upstairs. Make sure Shinji doesn’t break into the maple syrup?” Issei asked, leaning over as they passed to kiss Tooru’s cheek. Shinsuke almost felt his cheeks burn, not overly surprised by how openly affectionate they were but still unused to it. It wasn’t common for people to be so open with such romantic gestures after all.

“That kid has the weirdest tastes, he gets it from your side of the family, Mr. I put peanut butter on potatoes.” Tooru teased lightly, lifting his hand to squeeze his shoulder. Issei’s eyes seemed to darken for a second before they relaxed and he gave a soft smile to his partner.

“Yeah he does, my sister would have been proud to know he’s carrying on her food science.” Issei said softly, tilting his head towards the stairs in the back. “Hurry up, he might have taken Atsumu’s proposal seriously and I don’t want him trying to make a wedding cake just yet.”

Tooru laughed, moving forward and waving Shinsuke to the stairs before he stopped to speak to Akira. Akira didn’t particularly look excited but Shinsuke could see the way his eyes brightened at his father’s attention and willingly reached out for him to get picked up.

“I’m stealing the kitten, before he starts napping on the table.” Tooru called, grabbing grapes before Akira could ask and following Shinsuke up the stairs.

They didn’t have to go far to find Atsumu and Hitoshi atleast.

They were at the base of the stairs, eyes wide as a long furred brilliantly white cat walked back and forth to them. She rubbed her face against both of them, preening under the gentle touches of her new fans.

“Princess! Stop harassing children, atleast let them into the house.” Tooru called and the cat mewled pathetically, falling into Atsumu’s chest and purring loud enough for Shinsuke to hear her.

Atsumu turned his eyes to Shinsuke where they sparkled and glowed with excitement.

“Cat.” He mouthed, fingers gently brushing over her back with a gasp. Shinsuke hummed, nodding his head as he reached down to stroke his hair, the smallest smile growing on Atsumu’s face.

Instantly regret pooled in Shinsuke’s stomach. These were his boys but he… was going to send them away. He already had people wanting to meet them. Good people who would be able to be home all day and give them a structured life.

Shinsuke wanted to be selfish, he wanted all of it. He wanted to raise the boys and date Aran. He wanted to watch them grow and learn and support them through all of it. He wanted to steal Lady from Aran and spend the hours after work resting with her while Aran and Osamu cooked and Atsumu played eight video games in an hour. He wanted to teach them volleyball, see them give everything their all like he knew they would.

But he couldn’t. Knowing they would be neglected by his own workaholic tendencies. Knowing that he chose his future years ago, he had a  _ plan _ and the boys didn’t deserve to deal with him while he strained trying to fix that plan. If he threw that plan out then what did he have? No structure, no routine, no-

“Shinsuke-san! Their TV is bigger than me!” Osamu yelled down the hall and Shinsuke looked up instantly, pushing down any panic that was building in his chest. He would be fine. He had a plan. He had his routine. Nothing would change that.

“Is it? Now I have to see that.” Shinsuke called, watching Osamu giggle and disappear into the living room. Tooru raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t say anything even as Shinsuke turned to look at him. The other man just shrugged, carefully stepping over the two and walking away with his son in his arms.

Princess mewed after her owner, jumping off of Atsumu’s lap and taking off after him.

“You’re fat.” Akira said to the cat as they rounded a corner and disappeared into the apartment.

“C’mon Atsumu, let's go see this giant TV… You too Hitoshi.” Shinsuke said, offering his hands to both of them and tugging them up onto their feet. Surprisingly, neither of them let go, letting him lead them into the living room.

Rintaro had taken a spot on Shigeru’s back in front of the TV. Shigeru didn’t seem to mind, occasionally twisting to be fed a chip from the bowl beside them. Shinji was on the couch and quickly pat it to try and encourage the two to join him. He paused and looked at Shinsuke before moving the couch pillow and scooting closer to the arm before patting it again.

Hitoshi let go almost immediately, scrambling up onto the couch and leaning forward to paw at Rintaro’s head until he was handed a chip. He happily chomped away at it, watching Shinji change the channel.

Atsumu stuck close to Shinsuke, keeping his hand wrapped around Shinsuke’s. Not even a few seconds later, Shinsuke was being dragged into the room by Osamu and manhandled onto the couch. Atsumu and Osamu seemed to be thinking along the same lines because they both immediately crawled onto the couch and took a spot on either leg.

“Don’t get too comfortable Shinji ,you either Shigeru, you’re still getting talked to when the Bakery closes.” Tooru said, sticking his head into the room. “I know you two got in trouble for fighting at lunch.”

“Technically, it was just Shigeru, I was trying to stop it.” Shinji mumbled, trying to hide behind Shinsuke’s bulk when Tooru fixed his gaze on him.

“So you didn’t drag both of them physically on the ground?” Tooru raised an eyebrow.

“.... I was trying to stop it?” Shinji said again.

“... I was not like this when I was a kid, I was a good kid, I didn’t punch people, why are you like this?” Tooru sighed, clearly aware of how Shinji was trying not to laugh and Shigeru was openly giggling. “Don’t laugh, you’re both in trouble. Shigeru why were you fighting Rintaro anyways?”

“ ‘Cuz he’s my best friend!” Shigeru chirped happily from under Rintaro. 

“Wha- I thought your best friend was Kentarou-kun from Taekwondo.”

“Yeah…  _ from Taekwondo _ . You get extra husbands why can’t I have extra best friends.”

“... I don’t have an answer to that… Just don’t do it again on school grounds okay? If you want to fight more we can pay for a few hours for private lessons for both of you. It’s dangerous at school, you don’t know what’s in the grass or if someone else could accidentally get hurt okay?” Toory finally said, looking at Shigeru until he nodded. The smile had shrank but he was clearly listening, looking up to nod at Rintaro who nodded rapidly back at him and then Tooru.

“And you, my defensive little monster,” Tooru said moving over to rub his hand over Shinji’s shaved head, “need to stop letting yourself get drawn into fights. But I’m glad you protected your friend.”

Shinji’s cheeks were dark with a blush but he grinned brightly up at his father.

“Thank you Papa, now go away, you’re embarrassing me.” Shinji stuck out his tongue, giggling when Tooru dropped a kiss onto his head and ruffled it again before leaving.

“I can be extra embarrassing, just wait till highschool, I was the most embarrassing person ever and I refuse to lose that to you two.” Tooru teased back as he left, tossing an amused smile at Shinsuke.

Atsumu and Osamu were staring after Tooru almost reverently before their eyes moved almost hesitatingly to Shinsuke. He wasn’t quite sure what they wanted but he wrapped his arms around them, pointing at the TV and murmuring for them to watch it.

By the time evening started, Hajime had arrived home and he and Issei quickly swept up the nearly asleep Hitoshi and Rintaro and took them home. Shinsuke had barely managed to get out of a family dinner, half worried that Takahiro and Issei would steal his kids if he didn’t get them out of the room quick enough. It wouldn’t even be a fight, both boys were dead set on eating Takahiro’s macarons no matter what they had to do for it.

“Say goodbye.” Shinsuke murmured to his twins, one hand in each of his. They cheered loud enough to wake the block before letting their foster father lead them out of the apartment.

The doors to his shop were closed and locked already, the alarm set and blinking from inside. Shinsuke didn’t particularly feel like turning it off so he brought them around the corner instead, heading for the second entrance.

Atsumu was more excited about the cat than he was anything else, cheerfully chirping about how pretty she had been and all of her pictures around the house. Osamu was hoarding his handful of blueberries he’d been given by Issei on the way out, and didn’t seem particularly inclined to speak. He wasn’t upset, simply didn’t seem to think there was anything to say.

Shinsuke was watching the ground, guiding them around the tree root that had broken the pavement when he felt Atsumu freeze. He looked over, confusion taking over at the panic and then dread on Atsumu’s face. Atsumu’s head slowly turned to him, betrayal clear in amber eyes.

Shinsuke could almost see them closing off as he turned his head to look forward again and Shinsuke followed his gaze.

“Ah! There you are Kita-san, we thought you’d forgotten about us.” Saito Rika was standing in front of his house, her husband a few steps behind her. “Don’t worry we haven’t been here long. It’s good to see you boys again, Atsumu, Osamu.”

Shinsuke tightened his hold on the boys’ hands. They hadn’t mentioned knowing the twins at all, but clearly they knew them. There was a soft tapping noise as Osamu dropped the blueberries in his hand, his other going limp in Shinsuke’s.

“S-Shinsuke-san?” Osamu started to ask but Atsumu pulled his hand from Shinsuke and reached out for his brother.

“You know what this is, ‘Samu… Come on… We’re ready Shinsuke-san, we know how to act.” Atsumu said, his voice completely flat as he looked the potential adoptees dead on.

Shinsuke didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to breathe, he wanted to redo everything. Go through the store so he could send these two away without a fuss.

He’d destroyed everything they’d just worked to build.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji  
> I'm running a poll rn about whether my readers would prefer a quicker ending with a series of snapshots as a prologue or if you'd prefer it go longer with more angst  
> I am planning on making the angst frustratingly painful so be forewarned.  
> Let me know in your comment!


	19. Chapter 19

“I told you that today wasn’t a good day.” Shinsuke said, reaching out to grab Osamu but he and Atsumu were already too far ahead. Osamu looked back, hope in his gray eyes and he started to hesitate reaching back for Shinsuke’s hand.

“Yes, we know they got in trouble, they were always troublemakers. That’s okay, we know how to fix them.” Rika said, smiling almost serenely at the twins. Osamu went still, tears starting to build beneath his eyes before his brother’s grip on his arm jostled him into turning around again.

Internally, Shinsuke fumed. Neither of the boys were troublemakers! Even if they were, there was nothing to ‘fix’ about a child who acted out. They needed guidance, support, they weren’t  _ broken _ .

“Hello again, Rika-san.” Atsumu’s voice was hollow, drained of any sort of cheerfulness.

“Atsumu, I told you to call me Rika- _ chan _ , don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already.” Rika chirped and Atsumu’s shoulders sagged with tiredness as he dipped his head.

“Sorry, Rika-chan… Good evening Saito-san.” Atsumu’s voice was nearly intelligible and Shinsuke stepped forward, unable to stay quiet any longer.

“That’s enough. I told you not to come, and what are you talking about  _ again _ ? From my records there was no Saito Rika or Saito Ken who ever watched over the boys.”

“My last name used to be Nakamura,” Rika said flippantly and Shinsuke felt his temper rise, “I was the first one to try and adopt the boys.”

“Try?” Shinsuke barely held back the urge to snap the word back at her.

“Well my husband didn’t want kids then, so we got rid of them. But he’s come around and said we could adopt one, but why wouldn’t I just want my old twins. Besides, they’re older now and not as annoying as they were.”

“They’re not… They’re not  _ dogs _ . You don’t just toss them aside and pick them up from the pound later.”

Shinsuke wasn’t one to get upset. He was often likened to a robot despite the fact that he knew he was very much human. He rarely cried until he was beyond overwhelmed, and he didn’t understand how other people could scream and yell so much. He even struggled to smile, though the boys had it made easier to relax and just let the natural action curve on his lips.

Right now, though, he was more than a little overwhelmed. Osamu seemed ready to break down and Atsumu had closed off again. He looked like he was seconds from dissociating and Shinsuke was  _ not _ going to let that happen. He opened his mouth to tell them off when Atsumu started speaking.

“It’s alright Kita-san,” He murmured and Shinsuke pretended that didn’t hurt, “we’ll be good.”

His fist was nearly white, wrapped around his brother’s hand. Osamu whimpered, only to slap a hand over his mouth with a fearful glance at Rika’s husband who still didn’t look at the two.

“The boys are always good for me, right Osamu?” Rika seemed far more interested in the boys than her husband. He’d already dragged out his phone and wasn’t bothering to look at his wife or the kids.

“Yes Rika-chan…” Osamu said hesitatingly but Rika didn’t seem to notice it as she turned to Atsumu.

“So I know you two had a bad day at school today. You always were breaking things, rules, vases, toys. What trouble did you cause this time Atsumu?”

“That’s enough. Leave now.” Shinsuke stepped around Osamu, moving to stand in front of them. “I won’t have you insulting either of these two, or treating them like mindless animals. They’re  _ kids _ . Get off of my property now.”

“We are entitled to our interview-” Rika started, looking more than a little shocked at Shinsuke’s interruption.

“You failed the moment you refused to listen when I told you not to come. They’re allowed to have a rest, especially after a hard day. Instead you came anyways, and proceeded to talk down to them like there is something wrong with them. There is  _ absolutely _ nothing wrong with either of them. Atsumu, take your brother into the house please.” Shinsuke passed him the key, holding it out for a worryingly long moment before he finally felt Atsumu’s hand wrap around it.

He waited, feeling the tug of Osamu’s hand momentarily on his shirt before he was pulled past. The moment the door was shut, he relaxed slightly, no longer worried about them being upset about seeing him angry.

“Not only have you failed your interview, but I will be reporting you to their social worker. You are obligated to inform me if you have ever had  _ any _ contact with either of the boys, before the interview. You dismissed them, insulted them to their face. Told them they were  _ broken _ and ruined any confidence that Atsumu had with that last comment that  _ he _ caused the trouble. He didn’t! Because he’s a good kid, who cares about making everyone happy and giving his all no matter what it takes from him and I will not stand by and let you degrade that into him just breaking things.”

“Wha- You can’t be serious! The boys are just kids, they don’t even know half of what I just said. I’m calling Oomimi-san now, you won’t even have the boys by the end of the night.” Rika snapped, looking both bewildered and angry. Her husband, interestingly enough, had finally glanced up from his phone and seemed to only understand that something important happened.

“So we don’t have to get the brats?” He seemed mildly relieved, only to scowl as his wife rounded on him.

Shinsuke turned, blinking in surprise at Osamu’s face in the crack in the door before it was gone. He paused, wondering if he should say anything else before tossing it aside. Whatever he said now was meaningless. He had the boys to take care of.

He stepped into the house, closing the door and locking it before turning on the security alarm. He turned, exhaustion flooding through him as the adrenaline started to lower but he knew his night wasn’t over yet.

Astumu was just standing behind the couch, keys still clutched in his hand like he was waiting for an order to put it away. Osamu was gripping the arm of the couch, fingers twitching and Shinsuke gently nodded when he realized Osamu was wanting to hold his fox for comfort but was afraid of being yelled at.

“It’s okay, Osamu, you’re not in trouble.” Shinsuke murmured, keeping his steps slow and measured as he moved to Atsumu’s side.

He wrapped his fingers around the keys and knelt to the floor, looking up at Atsumu. He barely even stirred, eyes staring at something over Shinsuke’s shoulder. His eyes were vacant, no emotion in them, not even fear. Tears had stained his cheeks and slid over each other but no sobs came from his mouth.

“Atsumu, I’m taking the keys now.” Shinsuke said softly, catching them as Atsumu obediently dropped them. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, I didn’t know you already knew her-”

“May I go to my room… please, Kita-san?” The words were barely more than a whisper, and Atsumu looked like he didn’t have the energy to try again. He was ready to collapse on the floor, and Shinsuke didn’t know if being alone would help or make it worse.

“Can you look at me first?” Shinsuke asked, waiting as the eyes slid to meet his. They moved slow, sluggish, like Atsumu had to force himself to do it but if Atsumu was responding that was good. He didn’t look too far gone, and forcing him to relive the moment by trying to talk it over would only make Atsumu that much worse.

“I’ll bring dinner in a bit, okay? Please come let me know if you need anything else. You look very tired and scared, Atsumu. I know that was hard, I’m sorry I couldn’t help more. I’ll check in on you, but if you need anything, please come and get me, I won’t leave the house okay?”

Inch by inch, Atsumu’s head tilted into a nod as his eyes slid away again.

“Yes sir.”

“Thank you Atsumu, you were really brave… I’ll check on you soon.” Atsumu didn’t move, waiting until Shinsuke gently nudged him before he started walking towards his room.

Osamu was clutching the fox to his chest when Shinsuke turned to look at him, his own tears leaking onto the floor. Shinsuke waved him closer and Osamu nearly ran to him, only to freeze an arm length away. 

Osamu had always been more physical, wanting hugs and getting comfort from them. He craved physical closeness in the same way Atsumu craved approval, but now he was scared. Scared of  _ Shinsuke _ .

“It’s alright, Osamu.” Shinsuke tried to soothe the frustration on Osamu’s face as his natural urge to be close battled with the fear that had been built in him. “You’re scared, you don’t have to hug me… I am sorry, I didn’t know you knew her and I told her not to come, or else I would have told you that you would meet someone today. I am sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Can I go be with ‘Tsumu?” Osamu asked, voice stronger than his brothers but it was still choked as he sniffled. He gripped the toy closer and Shinsuke was grateful Akagi had thought to buy it as a comfort item.

“Yes, little one, go on. I’ll check on you in a few, and bring dinner.” Shinsuke slowly moved to his feet as Osamu walked away.

“I wish you didn’t hate us.” Osamu mumbled, probably not even aware he’d spoken aloud.

Still, a knife plunged through Shinsuke’s stomach and heart and it took everything he had not to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness. He wanted nothing more than to sob, break down as so many emotions flooded him at once. He wanted to run, to hide, to lose himself in work, to lose himself completely in something blank. He was neutral by default, small bits of emotions dropping into him at any given time. He had no idea how to handle the thick swell pouring through him.

Anger, guilt, panic, pain, grief, adrenaline, worry, care, hurt. Everything poured into him and it was overflowing in his mind.

He wasn’t like the others, where they could take so much. He thought he would break, right there on his floor, his boys in the other room.  _ His boys hurting _ .

Somehow, he moved to his feet, pawing at his own pants to pull up his phone and hit the speed dial for Oomimi.

“Shinsuke? Aren’t you supposed to be in the middle of the interview?” Oomimi didn’t bother with pleasantries, Shinsuke rarely called to catch up, he preferred the quicker method of text.

“Yeah… The boys had a rough day and I told her not to come but…” Shinsuke took in a shuddering breath, trying to focus on the present like Aran, Oomimi and Akagi had coached him through for years when he started to crack. He started to talk again, explaining what had happened, while he started to cook.

He focused on the pans under his hands, the heat of the rice cooker, the strong scent of fresh basil. The spoon was cool under his touch, and the back of his ankle collided with the stool the boys used. His elbow brushed over the fridge and cool air greeted his face.

He was okay. He was present. His boys were safe, they were just scared. Everything was okay.

“So after the boys went to their room I called you.” Shinsuke finished, stirring the stir-fry in the pan.

“Ah… I’ll drop by in about half an hour… I need to talk to them about the interview and I’ll make sure to note that she is to be removed from any potential adoptions until she’s reviewed again. I’ll write down what you told me and what the boys tell me and submit it tomorrow morning, okay?”

“Thank you, Ren.” Shinsuke murmured and Oomimi seemed to sigh on the other end of the line.

“Are you okay, Shinsuke?” Oomimi’s voice was soft, gentle. “That’s a lot to deal with on top of everything else.”

“Everything else? I’m fine Ren, honestly.” Shinsuke said, taking a deep breath and letting the overflow of emotions leak out. He probably needed a good cry, but honestly he didn’t have the time for that and he wouldn’t be the one to break in front of the boys. They needed to trust him to be strong and not crumble.

“Shinsuke, you went from being a successful business owner with a steadily climbing online business, to being a father to two traumitized boys, having your old crush return, trying to take care of them and help them heal, battling with that principal, trying to reintegrate Aran into your life, dealing with Saito-san, hearing Osamu say he thinks you hate them. That’s a  _ lot _ , you’ve broken from much less. Remember our final year when you stepped down as captain? You were overwhelmed within days from losing your structure. When you first got the shop and found out that all the employees left with your aunt to her new one? You cracked and barely held it together until you got your routine going. You don’t do well when someone removes that without warning. This isn’t just someone removing your routine and your plan and your structure, this is blowing it up and stomping on the tiny pieces.” Oomimi sighed, louder and more clearly this time. He and Akagi had seen the worst of his cracking after all, though Aran had seen the first and knew of the other two.

It wasn’t often that Shinsuke cracked, in fact it was a rarity. He’d struggle, scramble for purchase and haul himself up after a week normally. Each of those times though, had been so overwhelming emotionally, physically, mentally.

Shinsuke had his routine, he had his Plan. He put the pieces together before the year even started, what he was going to do, what he was giving up or getting, what he would accomplish and what would be a bonus if it did happen. He set his routine, getting up at five am, showering for twelve minutes, turning on the rice and making tea by eighteen after. He checked his phone at twenty after before pulling out breakfast ingredients. Breakfast was done by six, he had eaten by twenty after and he was at work where it started all over again with a routine.

Little changes were okay, he could survive the itch that burrowed in his skin. He could ignore the urge to stare at the clock, feel time clicking away from him. He could only do that for so long. Without a new plan, a new routine set up, he would start to stumble.

It had only happened three times in total, but Shinsuke still felt guilty for each one. He prided himself on his self control, on his ability to support others, but when he broke he found them scrambling to care for him. Pressuring themselves to help him. The exact opposite of what he wanted.

“I know… Trust me I know, Ren… Why do you think I’ve been telling you and Michinari no? For the boys and about Aran… If I throw out my plan then I’ll just throw myself into a panic. I already made the decision not to start a family, not to focus on dating…”

“But you want too, now.” Oomimi finished for him. For a long minute it was silent, then Shinsuke could hear the sound of papers shuffling.

“I’ll be there in twenty, let the boys know okay?” Oomimi said, and the line dropped. Shinsuke didn’t move for a moment, letting himself relax before he lowered the phone to the counter and started to dish up three bowls.

He didn’t bother to pull out the cushions to eat at the table. Instead he grabbed two of the bowls and made his way to the boy’s bedroom.

He knocked gently at the door before stepping in. Almost instantly Osamu was leaping from Atsumu’s bed like he was waiting to be punished. Atsumu himself was curled up with his giant purple pokemon, hypnotically stroking it’s fur.

“It’s alright, Osamu, you can stay with your brother. I brought you dinner.” Shinsuke explained, moving to kneel next to the side table and carefully slide the bowls onto it. Osamu still hesitated, slow, careful steps bringing him back to his brother's bed.

Shinsuke moved nearly as slowly, until he could lower himself to the bottom half of Atsumu’s bed. He reached out, gently tapping Atsumu’s foot with a whisper of his name.

Atsumu turned, a little less dazed, but tears were still fresh on his cheeks. He blinked at Shinsuke, tugging his feet under his body. Shinsuke didn’t bother to be hurt by it, Atsumu couldn’t help it and he definitely wasn’t doing it to be cruel.

“I brought dinner, Atsumu.” Shinsuke said softly, watching the eyes slide off his face towards the wall behind him. “I also wanted to let you know Oomimi was coming in a few… No, you’re not in trouble.”

Shinsuke could see the fear rising up, in Osamu’s face, in the way Atsumu was clenching Kitty.

“I swear to you, you’re not in trouble. You’re not being taken away either. He just needs to check on you and make sure you’re okay after today, that’s all.” Shinsuke soothed, reaching out to Osamu and waiting for Osamu’s hesitant hand on his. He drew him closer, slipping off the bed to let Osamu have the spot and guiding him down.

“Nothing will happen that you don’t want to happen. It’s all going to be okay.” Shinsuke said, gently squeezing Osamu’s hand. For a second, a light of hope seemed to glow in his eyes and the smallest smile appeared, before he was pulling his hand away and turning to his brother, crawling over to lay with him.

Shinsuke wanted to say something, reach out to them. He had nothing to say, though. Instead he turned and walked away. Any more words would only seem empty and fruitless.

Shinsuke barely managed to eat, and clean the bowls by the time Oomimi arrived. He didn’t bother with pleasantries now either. This wasn’t a friendly call, he was on duty and he wouldn’t pretend otherwise.

He had more than one paper carefully stacked under one arm, none of them labeled and Shinsuke wasn’t sure he wanted to know what they were for.

“Shinsuke?” Oomimi’s voice made him jump from where he was bent over his kitchen island, a pencil scratching out a new design.

“Yes?” He looked over immediately, panic churning in his gut at the regretful look on his friend’s face. Oomimi moved slowly, making his way to the other part of the island before he spoke.

“The boys confirmed what you said… obviously. Saito Rika will be removed from the list of potential adoptees and will be reviewed much more thoroughly before she is added back.” Oomimi said, then lowered the forms onto the table blank side up so Shinsuke couldn’t read them. Always professional.

“Shinsuke… The boys said…” Oomimi hesitated, tongue flicking out to wet his lips before he pushed on. “Shinsuke, the boys asked not to be adopted by you.”

A thousand pounds dropped through Shinsuke’s stomach. The pencil shattered in his grip but he couldn’t find it in himself to care about the pain shooting through his palm. They didn’t want him.

A disgusting mixture of horror, grief, and relief mixed through him. He hated it, despised it. The idea that he could finally return to his routine was  _ relieving _ , the idea that he would no longer be in charge of their emotional welfare was  _ relieving _ . Shinsuke wanted to throw up.

He didn’t want the boys gone, he’d never want that but even he couldn’t deny a mental toll had been taken. He didn’t care, he could get over that, he could adapt. It wasn’t life threatening, it was just a momentary adjustment period, that he was already going through. Adopting them wouldn’t make him worse and he was horrified that some part, even so small and ignored a part just trying to keep him moving forward, was willing to drop the boys like that.

None of that mattered though.

They didn’t want him.

“Shinsuke. I asked them if they were willing to stay the rest of the month with you… Osamu managed to convince his brother to say yes. Regardless, the decision remains with me.” Oomimi said, tone clipped. He didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news but this was his job. He had to make the call to remove the boys or not, even if Osamu had managed to get Atsumu to say he wanted to stay.

“I have to report it… but I’m not taking them, Shinsuke.” Oomimi reached out to squeeze his wrist, the first break in his professional demeanor. “They are scared because of Saito-san, it isn’t a reflection on you especially as you didn’t know she would be here. They’ve been a lot better under your care. I’ll ask again at the end of the month, but if they say no… you understand that I can’t force them to be adopted by you, right? By any of us. They get to say no.”

“I know.” Shinsuke wished his voice didn’t sound so raw. He wasn’t crying, not yet, but he could feel it building. He pushed it down, pushed it away, desperate not to break where the boys could walk out and see. He wouldn’t do that to them, no matter what.

“Do you want me to stay-”

“No, thank you Ren. I have to sign off on what happened right? I’ll do that now.” Shinsuke cut him off, he didn’t want comfort. He wanted to know what was happening next, wanted to know what to do. Ren wouldn’t,  _ couldn’t _ , guide him or give him a hint to anything. 

Oomimi watched him, before grabbing the paperwork and offering a few pages. Neither of them mentioned the pencil embedded in Shinsuke’s hand.

“Please, call me if you need anything. I don’t want you to cry alone, I’m still your friend.” Oomimi said when he grabbed the papers back. He looked like he was debating on crying himself but Shinsuke couldn’t put him in that position.

Oomimi had to do everything without bias, reports, write-ups, removals, adoptions. He couldn’t promise Shinsuke that the boys would stay with him forever, he couldn’t say that Osamu had fought his brother tooth and nail trying to beg to stay just till the end of the month. He couldn’t say that Atsumu had broken down sobbing silently, arms clutching the stuffed pokemon Shinsuke had gotten for him, while he said he’d leave. He couldn’t say Atsumu hadn’t asked to leave Shinsuke, he’d asked Oomimi to help him make Shinsuke happy by taking them away.

Oomimi couldn’t provide any comfort. Shinsuke knew that, knew he’d never know what happened in that room. He couldn’t make Oomimi try and comfort him after that.

“You’re like my brother, Oomimi. Please drive safe.” Shinsuke said softly, not even trying for a smile as the door slid shut behind the tall social worker. He stumbled, holding onto the table to try and hold back the waves of agony.

He wanted nothing more than to move to the boys’ room and hold them and ask them to stay with him. He couldn’t do that. He’d scare them, upset them, worry them. Atsumu would immediately push for his original decision to leave and Osamu would be too scared to do anything but follow his brother.

They made the decision. Shinsuke wouldn’t force his presence on them, he would just do everything he could to make the next two weeks the happiest he could and ensure they were going to a safe home after.

He stopped by their room unable to fully stop himself, glancing over the two curled up on Atsumu’s bed. They were fast asleep, wrapped around each other like two kittens. 

He stepped in, grabbing the blanket and carefully tossing it over them. They barely even twitched and Shinsuke doubted they would wake up at all until morning after the emotional toil of the day.

Shinsuke scooped up the bowls, both of them mildly nibbled on, and returned to the kitchen.

He tried to ignore the ache in his chest as he started boxing up the food for tomorrow. If anything, he would eat it and make them something fresh.

He couldn’t stand the silence. It was deafening, only the pounding of his ears audible after a week of nothing but laughter and the sounds of video games. He needed to hear someone, anyone.

No.

Not anyone.

He didn’t think twice as he grabbed his phone and punched in the number with muscle memory alone. Part of him rebelled against it, insisting he didn’t need help, but the rest of him was begging for his best friend. He wandered into the living room, unable to focus on any one thing, desperate for noise.

“Y’llo?” Aran’s voice was like a wave of relief after nothing but pain since they’d left the Matsukawa’s.

“Hey.” Shinsuke didn’t know what to say. What even could he say? That he was about to cry and needed a hug? That he was about to adopt the boys and then he fucked up everything and they didn’t want him? That just hearing that single word, made him feel like he’d be able to survive because they’d always made it through everything together?

Shinsuke had his pride for being the carer. He didn’t think he could let it drop quite so fast.

“Shin? Are you okay?” How many years had it been since Aran last called him that? Four? Five? It brought back memories of highschool, laughter and sweat, leaning on each other in the summer heat and tossing snowballs wildly in winter. Memories of the six years after that, when Aran was still in Japan. Tea shops and festivals, dancing and baseball, pick up games as the sun died, and alcohol as the sun rose.

All that. Shinsuke never even thought to give Aran a chance in his life. He’d taken his best friend for granted, didn’t reach out to him during the three years he was gone out of the country. Didn’t think they could ever fall apart, didn’t think he’d ever lose that constant murmur of his name and gentle hands ready to catch or hold him. He never thought of a partner, never planned for one, because he never thought he’d lose the one he’d had without realizing.

“I… I needed to hear your voice… It’s too quiet right now.” Shinsuke felt pathetic, but he couldn’t even bring himself to acknowledge that, listening to the deep rumble of Aran’s voice.

“Shin? Is everything okay? Talk to me.”

Shinsuke didn’t even realize until he was already spilling everything. Tears poured down his face, silent but the choked tone and Shinsuke’s own heavy breathing. Aran seemed to know regardless, as he tried to soothe him.

“Shinsuke, they’re scared. They didn’t know this was happening, they probably think you were trying to get rid of them. You can’t change the past, but you can still change the future.” Aran’s voice was as smooth and deep as Shinsuke remembered. He couldn’t help but feel ridiculous, thinking that. He’d heard Aran’s voice not even six hours ago. But it felt like eons. 

Like he’d been drowning at sea and someone finally came to save him.

“Yeah… I know.”

“Shinsuke, we can figure this out, okay? Move things around a bit, make it easier on ya. I can take the boys out after school a few times over the next few weeks, or early in the morning on the weekend, you can relax and they can play with Lady. We can talk with the boys on friday or next friday, ask them what they really want. If they want to leave then that’s their decision… but if they want to stay, then we can plan accordingly. We can get you used to a new routine, I’m here, Akagi’s here, Ooomimi. We’re all here to help… Let us help.”

“I missed you.” Shinsuke confessed, the words bubbling out before he even realized. Desperate for him to know, for someone to understand what he felt instead of these wild miscommunications he’d managed to hurt his boys with. “When we weren’t talking… I missed you constantly, I didn’t just… forget about you. I thought about you… a lot… I just… My business is my main focus, has been since I graduated.”

“I know.” Aran’s voice was soft, like he was soothing Shinsuke from a nightmare rather than his own regretted decisions. “Shin, I  _ know _ . I was there when you made the plan, with the others. If I had a problem with it, I would have said something then. I was already leaving the country… why would I have insisted otherwise.”

Shinsuke didn’t know why he was having this conversation. Didn’t know why he needed to. He wasn’t going to date Aran, he couldn’t. He was already cracking trying to figure out if he got to keep the boys, how to help them, how to keep his business steady, how to continue the way it was expanding rapidly. He couldn’t be responsible for the emotional wellbeing of Aran too. Responsibilities came with relationships and right now Shinsuke  _ couldn’t do it _ .

“Shin. I’m here, now.” Aran said, his voice getting more firm at the quickening of Shinsuke’s breath. “Let’s focus on that. I’m still your best friend and you’re still mine. That’s all that matters.”

“... Sorry.”

“What’re ya apologizing for? Even the great saint Kita Shinsuke needs help every once in a while… Let me come over, we can watch stupid dramas and you can cry into a pillow and we’ll pretend it’s from laughter until you feel up to talking it over.”

“I think most people offer shoulders, not pillows… and the boys are sleeping, I don’t want to surprise them with you suddenly.”

“Shinsuke.” The force behind it made Shinsuke shudder. “I love the boys. But right now  _ you _ need something too. What do you need? What can I give you?”

“I…” The words choked in his throat, but he felt like he could breathe again. “I think getting some attention from Lady could help me a lot.”

“One standard white poodle coming up… with boba tea of course. Maybe even a shoulder if ya don’t like the pillows.”

Shinsuke coughed out a laugh, letting the couch take his weight as he fell into the seat.

“Of course.”


	20. Chapter 20

The press of a wet nose wasn’t a particularly new thing to Aran. Lady had been shoving her nose into his neck since the first day they met and he fully expected that to continue well into her old age. He still wasn't expecting it after the poodle had curled up over Shinsuke’s legs and refused to move for either of them.

“D’ya really have to pee? Now of all times?” Aran groaned into the pillow, the soft tickle of hair under his chin before he felt Lady shift. She pulled back. Then her paw pressed between himself and the warm body of Shinsuke against his chest.

The quietest whine broke from her as the paw scrambled to pet at his side to not wake Shinsuke. She finally found a grip and leaned over, snuffling at his face again.

“Okay, okay yes, I’m up… I’ll take you to the bathroom… get off of Shinsuke, okay? Off.” He ordered, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes. Shinsuke mumbled something in his sleep, wiggling slightly at the lack of warmth on his back before he wrapped his arms tighter around the pillow in his arms.

Aran’s heart warmed, softening as he watched his best friend so at peace after the exhausting night. He brushed his hair back into place, taking a moment to wonder at how soft it was. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss against his temple.

“I’ll bring Lady back in, in a moment, don’t start getting grumpy and wake up because she’s not snuggling you.” Aran murmured, teasing. Shinsuke reacted to his voice, the quietest mumble of his name on Shinsuke’s lips and Aran’s chest tightened.

The memories of the night before were bittersweet. Tinged with pain and hope and far too much heartbreak for Aran to say he was happy. He’d made far too many promises and far too few. Still, no regrets lingered. Not for Shinsuke, not for himself. His best friend was inches from him, safe and sound and no regret could ever stain that.

He pulled away, carefully extracting himself from the blankets. Lady leaped, barely managing to not fall off before jumping down the floor. She pressed her shoulder against his leg, trying to herd him forward.

“Yes, yes I am aware you need to use the bathroom. This is the first time in years you’ve done this at night. Are you okay?” Aran asked, looking down at her but she just stared resolutely forward. He sighed and stepped out, making room for her to squeeze passed.

Instead of heading to the backdoor, she turned down the hall. Aran shrugged, wondering if she just forgot that he showed her the backyard. Then she turned into the bathroom.

“Wha- No you can’t drink out of the tub, you’re a weird dog…” Aran blinked in surprise at the two boys staring at him from the bathroom. Lady was already sniffing at them, trying to lick every inch of skin she could find. They, on the other hand, looked quite terrified.

“Hey you.. You two okay?” Aran asked slowly but still Atsumu flinched, mouth moving but no sound escaping as he shook. His hand reached out to fist in Osamu’s shirt, for once unable to be the protector.

“Wh-what are you d-doing here Aran-san?” Osamu asked, voice a tired croak as he looked up at him.

“Uh, Shinsuke asked me to come over… He missed Lady.” Aran said carefully, flicking his eyes behind them. The washing machine was half stuffed with bedding and Atsumu was still trying to hide from Aran’s gaze. 

_ Ah _ .

Aran carefully stepped into the bathroom.

“Why don’t we get this taken care of? So you don’t have to climb on it to be able to hit the buttons and get the washing powder?” He kept his gaze on the machine, trying to pretend he didn’t see the way the boys flinched away from him.

It wasn’t their fault they were scared, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt to watch them shrink away from him. They looked absolutely terrified, and Aran had no idea how to comfort them. Just like the night before he was at a loss and all he could do was let them lead him.

“There we go,” Aran gently gathered up the comforter and sheet and pushed it in further, “It’s alright boys it happens.”

The barest hint of urine hit his nose, confirming what he assumed happened. It wasn’t unusual for abused kids, either being too scared or too apathetic after an emotional day to leave their bed. Sometimes it even happened in their sleep, leaving them frightened and surprised the next day.

Aran tossed in a few packets of the soap Shinsuke had and moved to start the machine. Then he glanced at the boys as it rumbled to life.

“Are those clean pajamas?” Aran asked, looking at Osamu so Atsumu didn’t feel the need to hide any deeper in Lady’s fur.

Osamu swallowed thickly, trying to brace his shoulders like he was going to take any hit that came for him and his brother.

“No… I… I had an accident.” Osamu said, lip trembling. “I’m… I’m s-s-sorry.”

“It’s quite alright… You guys didn’t take a shower last night right?” He waited until they shook their heads. “I know it’s a little early, but why don’t you go take a shower now? I’ll throw your clothes in the wash and get you some fresh pajamas.”

They looked like they were going to say no before Atsumu reached for his shirt and started to haltingly tug it off. Osamu copied his brother and Aran quickly tossed the clothes on top of the washer.

“I’ll throw those in next, you can’t wash them together.” Aran informed them when Osamu started to look more than a little confused. “Okay, let’s get in the shower, get you all clean and you guys can sleep again.”

Aran led them over to the shower head, pulling the body wash down and two wash cloths from the caddy. He flipped on the warm water, checking the temperature before stepping away again.

“No baths, just a shower and make sure you get real clean okay?” These weren’t his kids, he couldn’t stay and watch them to make sure they did it properly. Besides, they already looked so jumpy just knowing he was in the house he didn’t want to push it when they had to turn their backs to him in order to get clean.

The boys nodded and stared at him until he stepped out and slipped out of the bathroom.

He quickly dug through their dresser to pull out warm pajamas, trying to remember where Shinsuke kept the bedding. It was either in the hall closet or in the second office and Aran wasn’t sure he trusted Akagi’s ‘office’ that he used when he visited. He’d heard too many stories of Akagi just crashing there after too much alcohol and Aran was far too tired for that. Already the bed was calling him back but he had a job to do.

When he returned to the bathroom after grabbing towels, there was no laughter. Not like when Shinsuke had bathed them the first night, when their sounds of happiness echoed through the house. It was almost deathly quiet but a quick glance proved both of them were very much alive and reaching up to turn off the water.

“I’ve got towels.” Aran called, aware there wasn’t anything he could do to  _ not _ startle them. Lady stood up from next to the toilet immediately, moving to lick at their hands and trying to slip into the wet room.

“Lady, no. No water, you can go swimming later.” Aran said, side eyeing her as she tossed her head haughtily but stepped back out. “Yes, yes, you’re very pretty. Why don’t you go back to bed?”

She huffed and sat, staring him down as if to say ‘I’m working right now and you can’t tell me what to do.’

Aran was tempted to remind her that that was literally his job, to tell her what to do. Because she was a  _ dog _ . He didn’t though, and definitely not because she was more stubborn than he was at two in the morning.

“Let’s dry you two off.” Aran hummed, passing over two towels. The boys didn’t speak, barely even glancing at him or each other as they scrubbed at their skin. They paused, a tired glance between them before they looked away again and scrubbed at their own hair.

Aran passed over the clothes as they finished, making sure they were dressed properly as they tried to quiet a few yawns. He moved to carefully herd them to their room but Lady intervened instead.

Carefully she pressed between them, turning to nudge their hands into her fur. They looked at Aran in confusion but when he nodded they obediently gripped her fur. She stepped forward, barely waiting for them to catch up as she made her way to their bedroom. She stopped in front of their bed, quickly jumping up and moving to press against the wall before laying down.

Atsumu’s eyes quickly flashed to Aran, fear of punishment clear despite having no control over Lady.

“It’s alright, Shinsuke said she’s allowed on the beds.” Well, technically Shinsuke had said Lady was allowed on  _ his  _ bed, but Aran would take any admonishment for it. It wasn’t like Shinsuke would be able to bring himself to discipline the boys right now anyways.

“She’ll stay with you, okay? Keep ya safe.” Aran said softly and Atsumu’s shoulders seemed to relax just a touch before he was crawling into the bed and tucking himself into her side. She kept her head up, watching Osamu until he crawled into the bed too, latching onto his brother.

“Can.. Can you get k… Ki-chan?” Osamu whispered, like he was trying to trust Aran but was completely terrified of being wrong. Aran gave him the gentlest smile he could.

“Yeah of course.” He moved over to the other bed, in the top corner two foxes were next to each other and Aran grabbed both. He moved to pass the Ruppell’s fox to Osamu, then laid the other above Atsumu’s head so he could grab it if he wanted it.

“Get some sleep you two, you’ve had a stressful day.” Aran murmured, moving almost on instinct to brush Osamu’s slightly damp hair down. Thankfully he didn’t flinch, just sighed and snuggled into the thick comforter.

Aran turned back to the bed, moving to remove the plastic cover Shinsuke had in place specifically for this.

“What’re you doin’?” Atsumu’s voice piped up, a glitter of eyes just barely visible over his brother’s black hair.

“Takin’ this off. It’s what keeps your bed from getting wet if you have an accident. Don’t worry, I’ll clean it off and make the bed again. Get some sleep, Atsumu, Osamu.” Aran said, watching Lady lay her head down over Atsumu’s hair, almost reaching Osamu.

After a moment, the glint of eyes disappeared and left Aran to take care of the other bed. He traded in the clothes for the comforter and hung it up to dry before he finally made his way back to Shinsuke’s bed again.

He didn’t bother to even entertain the idea of moving to the couch, the bed was warm and comfortable. Shinsuke already let him in once, it would be fine for the remaining three hours of the night.

“You stole my dog, you promised you wouldn’t.” The sleepy voice reached him as he pulled the blanket up to his cheek again. Aran laughed softly, getting comfortable and ignoring the whininess in Shinsuke’s voice.

“She’s  _ my _ dog.” Aran reminded him, rolling his eyes at Shinsuke’s mumbled insistence that it was a lie. “And she’s with the boys, that’s not my fault.”

Shinsuke rolled over in the bed, eyes half open with worry.

“The boys- Are they okay?”

“Hey now, they’re just fine.” Aran reached out to lay a firm hand on Shinsuke’s shoulder as he started to rise. “They wet the bed, I already cleaned the bed and had them change and shower and the clothes are washing right now. I took care of everything.”

“You… didn’t promise that.” Shinsuke murmured sleepily, starting to drift off again and moving a little closer. Aran shook his head fondly, sliding the hand down his shoulder to his back, guiding him closer.

“Not everything needs a promise, Shin. Sometimes it’s just enough to have faith.” Aran whispered against his hair.

“Aran…” Shinsuke started, trailing off and Aran hummed in response as sleep tugged at his eyes.

“Let yourself relax Shinsuke… It’s still tonight.” Aran murmured against the feather soft hair. Shinsuke seemed to go completely boneless in his arms. Shinsuke scooted closer, until he could wrap an arm around Aran’s chest and close his eyes completely.

“I suppose it is… I’ll see you in the morning Aran.”

Aran didn’t bother responding. Shinsuke was already asleep, lips curved in a small smile and breath hot on Aran’s chest. A comforting warmth against the worry in Aran’s stomach.

  
  


Aran woke up alone.

He wasn’t overly surprised, they had agreed that yesterday wasn’t going to be continued any further after the night ended. He  _ had _ been hoping he’d atleast get his dog back, but Aran was preparing to just move in because he didn’t think Lady would willingly leave if she stayed any longer.

He pulled himself out of bed, not bothering to pull on a shirt in the warm house.

“W… Where’s Aran-san?” Osamu’s voice came from around the corner as Aran made his way to the end of the hall.

“He’s uh.. He’s still asleep.” Shinsuke’s voice sounded tired, almost imperceptible but Aran knew something had happened. It wasn’t major, but even small things could feel like a lot after the night before.

“I just got up.” Aran said as he came around the corner, smiling softly at the two boys standing just outside the kitchen. Shinsuke was flipping something on the stove, with Lady comfortably spread out between them.

“I’m so glad that I have a loyal dog, who would never betray me and will always love me.” Aran said sarcastically, watching Lady’s tail thump before she returned to staring at Shinsuke’s leg. “Hey you two, sleep okay?”

Atsumu flinched but nodded his head after a second, looking only slightly more relaxed than the night before. Osamu managed a full smile, small though it was.

“Yes sir… Lady makes a good pillow.” He said, hesitantly but Aran was just grateful Osamu was still trying to communicate.

He supposed that made sense. Though Osamu had been the quieter one at first, he’d also been the first one to branch out and adapt. He was still hoping for a better future.

Atsumu had given up on being anything but abandoned and abused. Aran didn’t know how to help but to keep trying and letting Atsumu know he was safe. They only had two weeks left, however, and Aran wasn’t sure that was enough time at all. Atsumu might never trust again.

Whatever happened, Aran knew the boys didn’t need anymore appointments with potential adoptees. Not now, between trying to get them to want to stay and the disastrous attempt the night before. Whatever happened at the next home was out of Aran’s control, but for now he could try and keep the possibility of a ‘next house’ from becoming a reality.

“She does, she makes the best pillow, when she’s not abandoning you.” Aran said, moving over to crouch next to her and aggressively rub her belly. She wiggled, a single bark escaping as she tried to lick at his face with excitement.

“Oh? Oh  _ now _ you love me huh? What about last night? You abandoned me twice, you didn’t even tell me goodnight, you just left me. I was  _ lonely _ .” Aran insisted but she just wiggled without a trace of sympathy or apology.

“Stop bullying my dog.” Shinsuke said from the stove and Aran’s jaw dropped. Behind him, he could hear the soft hushed giggles of one of the boys.

“She’s… She’s not even your dog! She’s mine!” Aran insisted, massaging her ears.

“Oh? C’mere girl.” Shinsuke said, not even looking over. Instantly Lady was on her feet and moving over to him, sitting obediently at his feet and looking up at him for his next order.

“I’m going back to France.” Aran grumbled, moving to stand as Shinsuke finally turned. Aran watched Shinsuke move to hand Lady a small pinch of white rice and stared at him.

“You’re  _ cheating _ .”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Shinsuke insisted, though Aran watched his eyes drop down. They slid over Aran’s form with only the barest hint of pink on his ears and the slightest curve of a smirk on his lips.

Aran almost covered his chest, and had they been alone this would have been the best way to get revenge for stealing for his dog. He’d have to just get back at him later, maybe by eating all of his tofu burgers he loved.

“That’s it, I’m taking the boys and we’re going to France. Whadd’ya think boys?” Aran glanced back at them, all the teasing was worth it to see Atsumu’s lips twitching up. Osamu was giggling behind a hand before shaking his head.

“We wanna stay with Lady.” Osamu said, blinking up at Aran with hopeful eyes.

“Oh I understand… So we’re going to France  _ with _ Lady.” Aran asked and Osamu burst into giggles again and nodded rapidly, only slightly tugging on Atsumu’s shirt to try and get him to laugh too.

“Try again, I’m Lady’s favorite.” Shinsuke said, and Aran looked back at him holding two plates up. “Breakfast time for everyone but the dog thief.”

“Oh you’re not eating? That’s too bad, after all that work you just did.” Aran shot back, laughing as Shinsuke looked away to pretend he didn’t hear anything. “C’mon boys, let’s go eat okay?”

Aran helped herd the boys over, sighing when Lady plopped herself down and then crawled under the table to occasionally lick at the boys’ feet. Each time she found one, the boys wiggled trying to muffle laughter.

Even Atsumu couldn’t help but smile a little, legs writhing trying to find a safe place to stay. As soon as Shinsuke moved to the table, though, he seemed to deflate again, looking pointedly down at the table.

Osamu wasn't pulling his eyes from his brother but Aran could see the pain clearly on Shinsuke’s face. The half-built up panic at the idea that the children he had come to love as his own so quickly, hated and feared him. 

Aran stepped up beside him, taking a plate in one hand and gently pressing his fingertips against Shinsuke’s lower back to ground him.

“Give them time. They love you.” Aran murmured in his ear, trying to hold himself back from pressing a kiss there. Perhaps the night before had been a mistake, feelings hidden away for too long given moments of light and hope and now craved more and more.

“So you keep saying.” Shinsuke breathed back, only the slightest flash of his normal neutral expression of displeasure.

“When have I ever lied to you?” Aran said as he pulled away, laying the plate in front of Atsumu and holding his hand out to Shinsuke.

“... First year of High School, you told me you were five foot nine, and you were actually five foot eleven.”

“Okay, I’m bad at listening to the doctor, when did I ever lie intentionally?”

Shinsuke didn’t have an answer to that one and quickly handed over Osamu’s plate instead.

Breakfast was quiet, even after the initial teasing neither Shinsuke nor Aran could bring themselves to laugh and joke looking at the twins. Osamu managed a smile here or there, but Atsumu didn’t seem quite able to bring himself to look up from his plate.

He’d shrunk away when Shinsuke reached for his cup to refill it, and flinched when Aran dropped a chopstick. Even after relaxing in the kitchen, he was on edge all over again when he was easily able to become the focus of attention. Lady tried her best, but Atsumu only managed a few pets before he ignored her and Osamu took over helping the attention hog get extra love.

“Before we finished breakfast,” Shinsuke said slowly, glancing at both of the boys as they froze. “I wanted to ask about something. You went through a lot yesterday and I know you probably don’t want to go to school… If you want to stay home that’s okay with me.”

Osamu perked up, before he deflated again. His mouth worked but nothing came out, silver eyes darting back and forth between Atsumu and Shinsuke. His fingers tightened around his chopsticks and Aran was worried he was going to start crying from the tension and emotional weight he was under. Instead, Lady popped out from under the table.

She nudged his cheek twice until he was blinking at her and then laid over his lap. She wrapped her teeth around his hand and dragged it to her back, tugging gently until he started to pet her slowly. Aran couldn’t help but think how lucky he was to have her.

“School’s important.” Atsumu finally spoke, still staring down at his plate. The words were monotone, like he was just repeating something he’d been told so many times.

“So is your mental health, Atsumu. You’re under a lot of stress right now… It’s your decision but I want you to know the options. You can go with me to the shop and hang out with Asahi or Keiji, you can stay here and play games… What would you like to do?” Shinsuke tried, the barest hint of desperation slipping into his voice. He wanted,  _ needed _ , Atsumu to be okay. He needed to know he didn’t break Atsumu further and even as patient as Shinsuke was he was human. Impatience was normal.

Shinsuke wanted Atsumu to be happy, and needed to know how to do that. He’d give Atsumu the world if he asked but Atsumu would never ask and that was the problem. He’d never ask for anything even as he wasted away. The only thing he’d ever want, was Osamu to be happy.

Atsumu opened his mouth to repeat himself when Aran spoke up.

“You can come with me?” He offered, giving a light smile when the twins both looked up at him with surprise. “I’m sure we can do something fun and if we can’t then we can atleast play with Lady… Maybe go ice skating or to an arcade?”

Their eyes lit up but Osamu was the one who spoke.

“We’ve never been Ice Skating before! Right ‘Tsumu?” He chirped, fingers still deep in Lady’s fur as he turned to his brother. Atsumu glanced at him before slowly shaking his head.

“No we haven’t… I… Are you sure? The principal was really upset yesterday, he’ll be even angrier for skipping…”

“Atsumu, you need a day off after yesterday. I’ll speak with the principal, just like yesterday, you won’t get in trouble for anything.” Shinsuke said firmly, watching the two finish off their plates.

“So you’ll be giving us away like yesterday too?” Atsumu muttered it under his breath and he seemed just as stricken as Shinsuke at the words that came out of his mouth.

Shinsuke had frozen beside Aran and he could see his fingers shaking, his mouth just barely pulling in air. Atsumu’s name came out like a whisper but still the child flinched, jumping when Osamu’s hand clamped onto his arm.

“Okay, c’mon boys. You’ll spend the day with me, dishes go in the sink. Let’s get dressed.” Aran cut in, standing up. “C’mon, there we go. Go get dressed.”

He waited for them to move, hesitant steps leading them to the kitchen, before he gently laid a hand on Shinsuke’s shoulder. Shinsuke jumped but leaned into it a second later, looking miserable. He tilted his head up, letting it rest on Aran’s leg as he blinked wide silver eyes at him.

“I…” Shinsuke started before shaking his head and moving to stand up.

“Shinsuke. No one ever said adoption was easy. Parent’s make mistakes, even with the best intentions. You did what you thought was right, it backfired. Atsumu’s just trying to show his pain and he doesn’t understand how to do it quite yet. You’re trying, you’re just fine.” Aran squeezed his shoulder, watching Shinsuke move like he was going in for a hug only to stop.

“Thank you, Aran… You should go get dressed. It’s a little too cold to go outside shirtless.” Shinsuke gave him half a smile before he was grabbing both of their plates and moving into the kitchen. Aran watched him for a moment, debating on trying to get him to talk more but the time for that had passed. He needed to focus on the boys now.

“C’mon Lady,” Aran called, “let’s go check on the boys.”

“Ooh, I haven’t seen those shoulders in ages.” Tooru’s voice made Shinsuke jump and he frowned over at the entrance to his shop. Tooru was peeking out, glancing at the two kids with Aran getting bundled up to go outside.

“I did try and knock and text you and it didn’t work so…” Tooru said, waiting until the boys had left before stepping fully inside the house. “Shigeru and Shinji were worried when the twin’s didn’t come out to walk to school but I see they’ve gone out with the other dad. Understandable.”

“Tooru.” Shinsuke said softly, feeling concerned eyes on him in seconds. What was it Aran had told him last night? 

_ ‘You forget you need coping mechanisms too… Try talking with someone if one of us isn’t available. You have a lot of friends who would do anything for you.’ _

“Can… Can we talk?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your support! I had to get a new computer but I'm glad I was able to upload in time. It's been a lot of fun to write these last few chapters! If you have any idea what you want the boys to do, let me know! Otherwise it'll probably be ice skating lol.  
> Follow me on Twitter @watacchishinji


	21. Chapter 21

Osamu had been more than a little disappointed to find out that they had to drop Lady off at Aran’s home, but cheered up again when Aran dropped into a shop with them for fresh hot cocoa. Atsumu was still…distant, and Aran couldn’t help but watch him as they boarded the train.

He wasn’t lagging behind or even particularly upset looking. Instead he was perfectly pressed up against Aran’s hip, face a careful blank which was almost worse. He didn’t flinch when Aran’s hand guided him by the shoulder to a seat and Aran considered that a great win.

“Hey, hey Aran-san?” Osamu’s voice shook him from his thoughts and Aran turned to him.

“Yes? Tilt your cup up straighter.” Aran said, reaching out to gently push the tilted bottom of the cup up until it was straight again. Osamu blinked at it, putting it on his knee instead of holding it freely and trying to give Aran a smile.

“Do… D’ya love Kita-san?” Osamu asked, lips twisting as he chewed on the inside. Aran stared at him a moment, debating on lying to avoid any awkward moments later or strangely intimate questions Osamu might ask Shinsuke later.

“Yes.” Aran said simply, disregarding his earlier thoughts. A few awkward questions would be fine in the long run, lying to Osamu about something that could eventually affect him and his life wouldn’t be. Not to mention the guilt was already settling in Aran’s stomach at just the thought of lying to him.

“Oh… Then… Why aren’t ya dating him?” Osamu blinked up at him, patiently waiting for an answer Aran didn’t even know how to give.

He could feel eyes on the back of his neck from Atsumu and sighed as he leaned back in the seat. He glanced around the carriage, not wanting to deal with other people butting in or scaring either of the kids.

“Well.. sometimes dating people is hard. It takes a  _ lot _ of work to do that.”

“It can’t be  _ that  _ hard, Tooru-san has three boyfriends.” Atsumu pointed out, shrinking back slightly when Aran looked at him but relaxed a minute later when Aran laughed softly, smiling down at him.

“That is very true. But, Tooru-san has also known them since they were very young, and they’re older than Shinsuke and I. Also, it took a  _ very _ long time to get where they are. They’ve been together almost ten years now. I haven’t even been in Japan for three years, I was in France remember? Shinsuke and I haven’t worked on anything like that at all.”

Atsumu hummed, trying to think about it as Osamu leaned against Aran to stare at his brother. As if he was just as excited about Atsumu’s relaxed questioning as Aran himself.

Some of it, Aran concluded, was not feeling safe in his home anymore. Having Rika-san come in and hurt him where he was previously safe must have ruined his trust in not only Shinsuke, but in having a safe place to relax.

“But...Why… wouldn’t…” Atsumu frowned, trying to form the sentence. After a moment he turned to stare at Osamu and they watched each other before Osamu perked up.

“Oh! Why wouldn’t you start now? Since you're back home now?” Osamu’s head tilted up, nearly smacking into Aran’s chin before the man pulled back.

“It’s a learning curve, trust me.” Aran said, only to get two blank looks. “Okay uh… Osamu, what if when we got to the skating rink I told you to go get your skates and go onto the ice right now and I didn’t help you, what would you say?”

“I don’t know how!” Osamu giggled. “I’ve never skated before!”

“See? Do you know how many steps there are before you can learn to skate?” He waited until both of them shook their heads. “Well, you have to learn  _ where _ to get the skates, what size is yours, then how to get them on, then walk on them and then how to get to the ice. Then you have to learn how to skate. Relationships are a bit like that. You have to learn before you get to the fun part and Shinsuke and I are still learning, not quite… Ice skating yet.”

Or ever, he said internally before he flicked the annoyed thought away. He wouldn’t pretend like he wasn’t mildly upset about the knowledge that there was a very real possibility of never being with Shinsuke beyond friendship. That didn’t mean he was going to act on that, or even bring it up, his feelings were his own problems not Shinsuke’s and he’d never treat Shinsuke poorly for his own inability to get over it.

“Oh so… You and Kita-san have known each other a long time… and you love him and he loves you so… It’s like… You gotta learn to walk! So you can date!” Osamu said cheerfully and Aran was trying to wrap his head around that and how Osamu knew Shinsuke loved him, when Atsumu spoke up.

“That… means I can’t marry Shinji.” Atsumu sighed, shoulders dropping. “Cuz… I dunno how weddin’s work or marriages.”

Aran didn’t even have an answer to that. He had absolutely no idea why Atsumu was marrying Shinji, or even particularly who this Shinji was. He assumed it was one of the kids from school, but weren’t they a little young to be getting married?

“Wait!! Shinji has  _ four _ dads, and they make wedding cakes and Tooru-san is a… a… wedding person! Shinji can teach you about weddings and marriages!” Osamu chirped at his brother, nearly spilling his cocoa again as Aran rushed to save it.

“Oh yeah! So I get to marry Shinji and get lotsa cookies everyday. Cuz he promised if we got married he’d be like… T-taka-... Takahiro-san and make breakfast and cookies everyday.”

Aran had absolutely no idea what was going on, but he definitely wasn’t going to say anything that would potentially erase the small smile growing on Atsumu’s lips and the bright hope in his eyes. Thankfully, they were both hyperactive six year olds and Aran didn’t think they’d be gloomy for long. It might hit again when they were back home, but for now they could just be kids and not have to worry about whether or not their next home would hurt them again.

“Sure, but uh… Why don’t we wait a little bit longer on that wedding?” Aran hummed, smiling down at them.

  
  


Toru didn’t hesitate to move over when he heard Shinsuke’s soft question, frowning at his friend. Shinsuke looked tired and more than a little sad, though he was hiding it the best he could. Tooru knew the look though, he hadn’t spent ten years with Issei to not notice when someone with a neutral face was close to crying.

“Yeah, Shin-chan, always.” Tooru tried for a grin, only to let it fade away when Shinsuke hardly reacted to the nickname. He moved across the room to the dining table, moving to kneel on one of the cushions.

Shinsuke fiddled around with something before he was walking to him, a small tray with a teapot and two cups. Tooru didn’t say anything, letting Shinsuke go through the ritual of pouring the tea and settling the cups in front of both of them. As soon as Shinsuke settled onto his own knees, Tooru couldn’t hold back any longer.

“What happened last night?” He asked. For a long minute Shinsuke didn’t say anything and the creeping fear that he was about to be fired started to build in Tooru’s chest before he realized the ridiculousness of that. Then he realized Shinsuke was crying.

There was no sound, absolutely no sign of Shinsuke’s pain beyond the silver lines tracing down his face. Twice, his tongue wet his lips before Shinsuke’s gaze shook and fell to the teapot instead of Tooru’s face.

“Yesterday… Did… not go well. I would… Like to speak as… friends about it, if you can handle that sort of talk.” Shinsuke said slowly, voice catching on the words like he was choking around them.

“I see… Let me tell ‘Hiro I won’t be coming home for breakfast- Don’t argue with me, Shinsuke-kun, I’m not leaving, you need me right now.” Tooru glared Shinsuke down as he pulled out his phone and texted his partner. Then he thought about it and texted two others, putting his phone away when Shinsuke started to look too suspicious.

“What happened?”

Shinsuke was staring at the ceiling by the time he finished, streams of tears pouring down his face with absolutely no sign of stopping.

“I…” He said softly, teeth buried in his bottom lip. “I… They don’t want me, Tooru, and I don’t know how I… I  _ want _ to adopt them, but it’s just… it’s so much and I… I’m… I don’t even know at this point. I.. Everythings been thrown into the air and I can’t adjust and I feel like I’m drowning.” Shinsuke confessed, nearly jumping out of his skin as the front door opened. He shot Tooru a look as Michinari and Ren stopped to trade their shoes for slippers.

“I told them to come.” Tooru nodded at him. “They’ve helped you before, and this isn’t just about you this time. It’s also about the boys.”

“Ren can’t-”

“I will.” Oomimi said, moving towards them and kneeling down beside him. “This involves the boys, and I can’t do anything about that or them, but I can help  _ you _ . If the boys decide they wish to be adopted by you, it is best to be prepared. If they do not, you still need to avoid this happening again later.”

“Part of that is our fault.” Michinari said, giving him a half smile as he moved to sit beside Tooru. He held his hand up, sharp eyes incredibly soft, to stave off Shinsuke’s refusals.

“It is. We promised you last time that we would be right here this entire time. Instead we became too complacent in letting you be in charge of everything and forgetting that you don’t come to others for help. Yes,  _ you _ should have been open more but  _ we _ neglected to check in on you. We left you without a proper support system after promising we would be there.” Akagi continued, reaching over to snag Shinsuke’s cup.

Shinsuke managed a full minute of steady breathing. Then he cracked with a sob, hands covering his face as the emotions rolled over and through him.

It was almost too much, knowing how much they loved him and wanted to help him. He loved them too and he felt beyond foolish for forgetting his own promise to reach out to them too when things became too much. A gentle hand landed on his back as Ren pressed against his spine, a comforting weight to ground him.

“I just… I don’t… I…” Another hand reached him, Tooru’s long fingers wrapping around his wrist with a gentle squeeze. Shinsuke tossed him a grateful but watery smile and then jumped up at the sound of slurping.

“Oh sorry, just trying to make sure you knew I was here too.” Akagi said when three sets of eyes landed on him. Ren stiffened like he was going to tell him off but Shinsuke just burst into laughter, tears still freely pouring down his face. Two other voices joined his as they laughed at Akagi who was happily sticking his tongue out at them.

Shinsuke could breathe again, the stabbing aching pains in his chest finally quelling themselves.

“Why don’t we start with the basics. Your routine.” Oomimi said after wiping at his eyes from laughing too hard.

“You are  _ not _ working seven days a week anymore.” Tooru said immediately, not even trying to give the other two time to speak. “No ifs or buts about it, you work way too damn much and it’s terrifying. Which is… saying something coming from me because I literally breathed volleyball since I was eight to the point of leaving the country! Do you know how much of a workaholic you have to be to have  _ me _ say you work too much? Five days max, four if you adopt the boys.”

“What? No I-” Shinsuke frowned but Tooru just glared back at him, daring him to keep arguing. Slowly, he closed his own mouth. Tooru might… have a point.

“You were working seven days a week? Gods, no wonder you’ve been having issues adapting to the boys and Aran coming back.” Michinari frowned, looking over at him and Shinsuke yelped as a foot struck his knee. 

“Michinari!” Shinsuke snapped, and was kicked again. “Okay, okay, I get it. I pushed myself too far and…”

He sighed, letting his shoulders drop slowly down.

“And I didn't take care of myself and set myself up for failure if anything happened. I know… Well, I know that now. I should have been more conscientious, instead I allowed myself to get drawn into my own routine and trapped. For all that I held myself to a certain standard in highschool, I became lax with it as an adult and faltered because of it. I assumed my own awareness would not be limited by my daily routine but did not take into account my own unwillingness to diverge from my routine. Unlike the other times, my problems now are my own fault.”

Shinsuke kept his gaze on the empty spot where his cup had been. It was easier to breathe now, but part of him was missing the night before. Curled up against a warm chest and crying his eyes out until he could sleep. Or it was just the four hours of sleep that he got. Or he just really missed Aran.

Shinsuke didn’t know anything at this point, he just wanted to take a nap. He vaguely wondered if his Granny would be disappointed in him for failing where she excelled.

He didn’t think she would, she was always his biggest supporter. However, losing what gave him his confidence and becoming so shaken to the point of giving into his own anxiety made him question whether she gave him too much trust.

At this point it didn’t particularly matter, he supposed, she had already given it to him and he needed to accept that and make himself worthy of that trust and support.

The three looked up as the office door opened, blinking in surprise at Takahiro’s head popping through. His eyes glanced around with a frown before they spotten Tooru and narrowed and switched to Shinsuke.

“Oh… oops.” Tooru said, checking his phone. Akagi winced at the mass amount of worried texts.

“I may have just texted ‘I’m not coming home’ instead of the full message in my haste to contact Akagi and Oomimi... That’s a... Not breaking up with you… Now I’ve just made him grumpy, I’ll be right back.” Tooru sighed, standing with a wince. “Do not let Shin-chan negotiate anymore days to work, or I will physically remove him myself and lock the door behind him.”

Shinsuke blinked when the eyes stayed on him, the normally friendly baker frowning over at him. Just like he had the night before. The gaze only moved when Tooru was stepping in front of him.

“I can’t believe you sent me that and didn’t think I wasn’t going to worry-” Hiro’s voice cut off as the door closed behind Tooru.

“And that is why I don’t date.” Akagi said, reaching for Tooru’s cup only to get his hand smacked by both of his friends.

“No, that is the reason _ I _ do not date, you don’t date because you don’t like people.” Oomimi sighed, grabbing Akagi’s cup to refill it for him.

“I don’t…  _ Not _ like them. I just don’t see the point in being with someone forever. It’s such a pain to keep track of another person, not to mention they always worry about ‘income’.”

“Love.” Shinsuke said, the smallest smile on his lips. He tried to squash it down, well aware these two would notice it and its significance. He didn’t quite manage it, his mind very happily supplying the memories of the morning and waking up in Aran’s arms.

“Love is why people stay together and also why they don’t change jobs every week when they get bored.”

“Right. That thing you weirdos feel.” Akagi said, scrunching up his nose and Shinsuke rolled his eyes. He knew Akagi was joking, it had been an inside joke ever since Akagi realized he didn’t have romantic feelings and probably never would but it never stopped being funny watching him react.

“But… I do love you guys, and the boys.” Akagi said slowly, working his jaw before it tightened and he looked at Shinsuke with a relaxed grin. “I love you guys _ alot, _ and I… I actually really like photography… and I was thinking… If you’re not opposed to it…”

Shinsuke nearly stopped breathing as he realized what Akagi was asking, despite the hesitance. Ever since Akagi graduated, he had been on the go. Near desperate to flee the country and travel all over, escape the standards set by his parents and society and only return on occasion for them. His family.

“Michinari,” Shinsuke breathed, “there has always been a job for you here, when you were ready.”

Shinsuke elbowed Oomimi, raising a pointed eyebrow that only got an eye roll in response. Michinari, on the other hand, looked far too close to tears as he stared at Shinsuke.

“Ya mean it? I don’t have to like… Interview or somethin’?”

“I… have no idea how an interview for photography would go, but we can just go with the fact that I have never heard complaints about your photographs even from Saru-san and she’s impossible to please.” Shinsuke laughed quietly, leaning back to avoid Akagi’s grabbing hands trying to hold his.

“Second thing, we’re going out, every single week.” Akagi said, looking to Oomimi to have his back. “At least one of us is getting you out of this house, whether it’s on your days off or after work. We can trade off with the Sawamura’s and Matsukawa’s with babysitting duty, and once a week you can relax. Or ya could take Wednesday off and we can do something while the boys are in school. No more of us leaving you to your own devices. You’re always checking in on us and taking care of us. Whether it’s supporting me when I went all over the world and talking to me when I felt like I was going crazy with the language barrier, or when Oomimi works himself too hard and gets sick and needs help getting better. Hell, Shinsuke, you bent over backwards to help the Matsukawas when Akira broke his leg. We forgot you needed support too and we’re not doing that again or so help me I will move into this house… Speaking of, I need to find an apartment, Ren’s neighbor keeps flirting with me and I don’t think they realize I’m only in it for that cat.”

“I can never have a conversation with any of you without laughing, can I?” Shinsuke sighed fondly, a smile just barely gracing his lips as he looked at the tea pot distractedly. He supposed that was what he needed, he was always told he was far too serious. Maybe that was why everyone in his life was so vibrant, so filled with infectious laughter and Shinsuke could never give that up.

“Wha- any of us- Wait a second.” Akagi straightened up, turning to stare at the boba tea plush Shinsuke had brought into the kitchen after waking up with Aran and finding it on the floor. “That’s not yours and you would never buy it and you didn’t have time to get it after yesterday…  _ Aran was here wasn’t he? _ ”

Shinsuke’s cheeks instantly bloomed pink but he said nothing, just turned away from Ren’s searching look.

“Don’t you dare Kita Shinsuke! I have not put this much effort or mental energy into anyone else, you damn well better not be together already. I did not set up that ice skating date for-”

“Date?” Shinsuke asked slowly, turning back to stare him down.

“Uh… well… I forgot how terrifying you are, uh… well the thing is… Tooru-kun’s back!” Michinari squeaked, making the mentioned wedding planner freeze. He glanced at the three of them suspiciously and slowed down as he moved closer.

He lifted up his cushion twice and glanced under the table before slowly kneeling on the pillow. Shinsuke didn’t bother to tell him he wasn’t being pranked.

“You’re not getting out of this.” Akagi said to Shinsuke with a pointed finger before he turned to Tooru. “You okay bud? You don’t look so good, did you get yelled at or something?”

“Wha- No, no.” Tooru shook his head but he didn’t unpurse his lips or meet any of their gazes. “Hiro knows that was an accident, he just started to get worried when I didn’t respond after an hour and a half and I didn’t realize it had been that long or else I would have called or texted him back. It’s not like me to just go radio silent so he was worried something had happened to cut off the message like a car accident or something. He panics sometimes… No uh… Gods… He wanted me… to talk to Shinsuke about the boys and… well, what we went through with our boys.”

He finally looked up, eyes soft and tired and not quite there like he was lost in thought.

“Said if I didn’t yell at you for it, then he would… I didn’t want to tell him what the twins said because you didn’t give me permission to talk to anyone else about it and that’s highly personal… But… Takahiro insisted I tell you.”

“... Go ahead.” Shinsuke said when it became clear Tooru wasn’t going to speak without prompting.

“So you know we were attempting to adopt Shigeru when Issei’s sister and brother-in-law died and left Shinji without parents… At that time… Well, it wasn’t  _ us _ adopting them, it was Issei and Hiro, because you know how people are about poly relationships. And yet… Shinsuke… We fought for almost a year to get Shigeru. We promised when we met him that we would be adopting him, and we almost couldn’t. Every time he saw us he’d start sobbing and asking why we didn’t do what we promised and took him home. For an  _ entire year _ , we fought, we had to pay so much money for lawyers and jump through so many hoops to prove Issei and Hiro were fit parents. I wasn’t even in the country and I was fighting with them, everything I had I gave to them to try and get our son… 

Then Issei… lost his sister and brother-in-law and parents in one accident. Suddenly we had Shinji we had to adopt and take care of and we were still fighting for Shigeru because we promised we were going to adopt him and we couldn’t just walk away.”

Tooru looked like he was going to start crying next before he took a breath and straightened, staring Shinsuke in the eye. His voice shook with every word but he didn’t hesitate in his words, didn’t waver for a second.

“We had to prove we could take care of two boys then, we almost lost Shigeru to another family but his social worker thankfully asked him who he wanted to go with and he picked us. A year is how long Issei and Hiro had to fight for him. Even now he wakes up convinced we abandoned him, and won’t calm down until we’re all in the room with him. The only reason we were able to get Akira in under six months was because I’m popular. If it wasn’t for the fact that every news outlet wanted to cover Japan’s openly gay volleyball player trying to adopt a child with his partner, I don’t know if we would have even had the option to get Akira… My point, Shinsuke…

My point is, not all of us have the luck to have friends in the social working department or be certified for adoption ahead of time. It… I was going to say it upsets Hiro, but honestly all of us are a little struck by… Shin-chan, you very clearly want to adopt the boys. And while right now that’s something that’s on the border and is the boys’ decision, it has been very clear from the first day I met them that they absolutely adore you and want to be with you forever and that you love them too. Shinsuke, me and my partners got  _ very _ lucky to be able to adopt our boys, our kids… You have a very clear path, that you need to decide if you’re going to take or you need to prepare the boys for their next home. Just… Fuck I am not good with emotions, this is why I have Issei and Hajime… Math is my thing, people.. Not really… Shinsuke, if you truly want to adopt the boys it has to start now, don’t make them wait any longer. They’re your boys. You don’t have to wait eight months to be approved or have social workers showing up weekly to threaten you if things aren’t perfect.” Tooru said softly, eyes soft as he looked at Shinsuke. There were tears still fluttering on his lashes like he was just barely holding himself together. His chest seemed to shake as he breathed in, trying keep himself from full on sobbing and Shinsuke couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he just really needed to cry like Shinsuke had.

“He’s not wrong,” Oomimi put in, gently taking the cup from Akagi to drink. “A lot of gay parents are fighting not only discrimination but also harassment even after they adopt. The Sawamura’s adopted from Moniwa, so their’s was mostly straight forward but it still took almost four months for each of their boys.”

Shinsuke nodded, wondering if Takahiro would be poisoning his next muffin or not. Either way, he hadn’t realized how hard it had been for them to adopt their kids. His chest ached thinking about how much they had gone through in the last two years trying to get their boys and giving them the best home they could have had. Tooru was right, Shinsuke hadn’t even thought about how much easier he had it between Oomimi and being a qualified foster parent.

He still had to convince his boys that he wanted them, but first he had some major changes he needed to worry about.

“I understand… then let’s move on to the third thing. How many hours am I cutting from my work day?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious what happened between chapters 19 and 20 with Shinsuke and Aran, please check out my other work Secret Night!!  
> I may go into more detail with the Aoba family adopting their boys as another bonus chapter but we'll see  
> Follow me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji


	22. Chapter 22

“Oh! So that’s why you made us wear our jackets!” Osamu chirped, hand clutching Aran’s as they stepped into the cold building. Already parents and toddlers were skating around, each bundled up to avoid the cold that kept the ice from melting.

Aran glanced back at the snow covered ground and the half ice falling from the sky and turned back to Osamu.

“Sure, that’s why I made you wear your jackets.” Aran snorted fondly, turning to glance at Atsumu who was standing beside him. His hand was creeping up, inch by inch until it wrapped around Aran’s finger. Aran didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, but that didn’t mean his heart wasn’t pounding ten thousand miles a second in excitement that Atsumu was actively searching him out for support.

“Let’s go get skates huh?” He asked, getting two sets of eyes blinking up at him.

“But we dunno how to skate.” Atsumu said slowly, as if Aran had forgotten.

“I know, but that’s why I’m going to teach you. We’ll go slow I promise.” Aran smiled down at both of them, taking a step forward and leading them across the room to get their shoes.

By the time they’d each been slipped into the shoes, neither one of the boys seemed like they were going to let go of Aran anytime in the next few years. Atsumu was clinging to Aran’s thigh while Osamu was half climbing Aran’s arm. However they were both laughing as they slipped and tried to adjust to the skates.

“There ya go, Atsumu you have to walk- Or just keep holding on, okay buddy.” Aran laughed softly, reaching down to pat his head without even thinking about it. Panic flooded through him a second later but Atsumu was giving him a smile, shy and small but it was there and Aran had to force himself not to cry.

“Promise you won’t let me fall?” Atsumu whispered and Aran smiled, nodding his head and holding out his pinky.

“I’ll even pinky promise,” he said and instantly Atsumu’s smaller finger was wrapping around his. Atsumu bit his lip before finally letting go of his leg to scramble for Aran’s hand instead.

“You’re almost as bad as Shinsuke, but don’t worry I’ll teach you.” Aran turned to check on Osamu, watching him lift up his feet one after the other like a dog trying socks on for the first time.

“Kita-san can ice skate?” Osamu asked, blinking up at Aran curiously and Aran wanted to lie. He did. He wanted to lie so bad but he just couldn’t to that face.

“Shinsuke is absolutely  _ terrible _ at ice skating, we tried to teach him and he was  _ bad _ , super bad.” Aran groaned dramatically, keeping up the sad face even as both of the boys started to giggle. “You guys are going to be so much better right?”

“Yeah and… and next time we can show Shinsuke-san!” Atsumu chirped, eyes wide with hope. Then he paused, the realization of the night prior washing over him again.

“Yes we can.” Aran squeezed his hand when bright eyes blinked up at him. “We can definitely show Shinsuke how good you two are. Maybe you can teach him a thing or two by then.”

Atsumu nodded, hope clear in his eyes before he was looking down again and staring at the ice skating rink.

Aran moved them slowly forward, helping them stay up with each step. He slid onto the ice first, angling his toes to each other so he wouldn’t slip.

“One at a time and then you can hold onto me again.” He said, reaching for Atsumu first while Osamu was still popping his feet up and down curiously. Atsumu made his first step, then slipped but Aran was already there.

He held his arm out around his chest and slowly leaned him back up, letting Atsumu cling to him. Atsumu squeaked softly and tightened his grip like he was trying to hold himself up off the ground with his arms alone.

“You okay ‘Tsumu?” Aran asked, using Osamu’s nickname. It seemed to work because Atsumu relaxed slowly, still holding on, but not skittishly prancing anymore.

“Y-yeah.. I’m okay Aran-kun.” Atsumu mumbled, eyes pinned to his feet like they would disappear if he didn’t watch them. He glanced up once to smile brightly before he was glaring at the ice again.

Aran hummed, waving Osamu forward this time. Osamu seemed a lot more stable on his feet, managing to glide over the ice to Aran before plowing straight into his hip. Aran wrapped his hand around his back to hold him close when Osamu’s head popped up to grin widely at him.

“Hi!”

Aran laughed, ruffling his hair.

“Hello to you as well, you two ready to try and skate?”

Aran kept the lessons slow and steady, ready to pull one or both of them off the ice at any hint of fear or exhaustion. Instead they both took to it almost immediately, dropping Aran’s hands before they made it halfway through the second circuit and skating a little bit further away. Atsumu kept slipping but Aran wasn’t quite able to convince him to stop staring at his feet and look ahead for once so Aran just stood close instead.

“Aran-kun!” Osamu chirped, skating ahead and glancing back at him. “Can I go around by myself?”

“Go slow! I can’t catch you if you fall on the other side of the ice.” Aran called back, keeping an eye on Atsumu’s frustrated scowl. Osamu took off almost immediately and Atsumu tried to follow only to skid and slip before catching himself.

His eyes twisted to Aran before moving back to his quickly disappearing brother.

“Don’t worry about anything, Atsumu, I’m keepin’ an eye on him.” Aran said softly. “Go at your own pace.”

“My pace is too slow… I don’t want Osamu to be better than me at  _ everythin’ _ .” Atsumu growled but his shoulders just dropped in minor defeat before his brother’s cheer for him to hurry up made him straighten again. He turned and pawed at Aran’s hand.

“... H… Help me?” He asked hesitantly and Aran took his hand immediately, skating closer.

“All you ever have to do is ask, Atsumu. That’s what I’m here for.”

They moved forward slowly, letting Aran take on Atsumu’s weight. It took two more rounds before Atsumu was tugging his hand out of Aran’s and gliding on his own. His face screwed up in concentration.

“Hey, hey, Atsumu, look at me.” Aran said softly, skating forward a few feet and turning around with his arms held out. I promised I wouldn’t let you fall, remember?”

Atsumu still looked nervous but he took a big breath and kept his eyes pinned on Aran’s chest. Step after step he moved, not realizing Aran was carefully taking his own half steps backwards, letting Atsumu go a little bit further as he gained ground and his confidence.

Aran shot forward as he realized Atsumu’s feet were angled too far inward, clipping each other. A look of panic shot over Atsumu’s face as he realized what was happening.

“Shinsuke-san!” He yelped, arms moving to cover his face but he was already caught in Aran’s grip, carefully leading him forward until Atsumu could wrap his arms around his waist. “Aran-kun… ‘M sorry-”

“Y’know, you and Shinsuke are just like each other.” Aran said, cutting him off and brushing a hand through his hair and Atsumu looked up at him, clearly curious. “Ya both keep apologizing for getting any kind of help. I said I’d catch you, didn’t I? No need for sorrys.”

“... Aran-kun… Why doesn’t… Why does… Shinsuke-san…” Atsumu’s face twisted with panic and worry, clearly trying to say something that scared him to ask. “I… I’m sorry… Can… Can I go sit down?”

“Sure, lemme just find you- Oof. Found him.” Aran wheezed as Osamu took advantage of his crouched over position to slam his head into his stomach and latch on.

“Hi!”

“Hello to you too.” Aran groaned for the second time that day, trying not to show how much it had hurt to have a six year old rocket into his stomach. “Atsumu wants to rest for a minute so-”

“Can I keep skating? Pretty please?” Osamu blinked up at him and Aran wasn’t sure what to do for a minute. He couldn’t stop Osamu from falling if he was sitting with Atsumu, but Atsumu might get even more upset being left alone again.

He was slightly surprised Osamu was so cheerful, but he supposed part of it was that he was so relieved they weren’t being taken away again. Or Osamu was being subjected to the energy all six year olds seemed to have access to. There were too many variables to keep track of and Aran could understand why Shinsuke had gotten so stressed.

“You can stay w-with ‘Samu.” Atsumu said after a moment, blinking up at Aran with wide eyes. “So he doesn’t fall.”

“I won’t fall!” Osamu insisted, already skating backwards with a surprising amount of skill for someone who had only been on the ice for an hour. “I’ll stay next to the wall so you can watch me Aran-kun!”

“Well… Okay, but stay as close to the wall as you can and as soon as you feel a little bit tired come join me and your brother.” Aran said, trying to look serious but Osamu was already skating away without a care. “Don’t worry Atsumu, I can watch him from behind the wall. C’mon.”

Aran guided him forward again, letting Atsumu set his own pace just a foot away from Aran. He skated fine, able to keep his eyes up this time and reached out to grab the handle on the wall to pull himself onto the rubber matts and turned to blink over at Aran patiently. Aran stepped up beside him, glancing back at Osamu and his newly acquired toddler teacher who was doing her best to show Osamu how to stop quickly.

“Osamu likes people.” Atsumu said and Aran glanced back to see that Atsumu was staring at him instead of his brother.

“And you don’t?” Aran guessed, though it wasn’t much of a guess since he’d spent so much time around the boys the last two weeks.

“People only leave.” Atsumu said, only blinking before he was turning away. Aran followed after him, sitting beside him as soon as Atsumu chose a seat.

“Hey now, what happened to getting married? Shinji-kun is a person right?” Aran asked, wondering how Atsumu could sound so mature at such a young age. He had to remind himself that Atsumu  _ wasn’t _ that mature, he was just hurting and had to learn how to communicate it when tears weren’t enough and anger was punished. He had to use his words because they were the only thing that couldn’t be taken away, the only power he had left. Even if it was in accidental comments to Shinsuke, who Atsumu clearly loved and felt betrayed by.

“... it’s a joke… Shinji’s just a friend and he likes Osamu more, like everyone else.” Atsumu mumbled, kicking his feet before Aran leaned down to slide the protectors over the blades. He resumed kicking as soon as he could, excess energy clear. Shinsuke had been right when he said Atsumu had issues with sitting still.

“Hmm… Shinji-kun, Shinji-kun…” Aran tried to think back to the night before. It took him a few heartbeats to drag himself away from the memory of his and Shinsuke’s first kiss, but he  _ vaguely _ remembered a Shinji being brought up.

“Was…. Shinji-kun… the one who… help you and your friend when you got in trouble?” Aran asked carefully, it might have been Shigeru-kun which made more sense because Aran knew Oikawa had a child named Shigeru and the boys had mentioned him earlier. Or maybe that was Akira-kun because Aran was pretty sure Tooru’s husband’s name was Issei. Wait.

Hadn’t the boys said Tooru had three boyfriends?

“Yeah… But that was just ‘cuza Hitoshi was scared.” Atsumu said, having absolutely no idea that Aran was trying to stick a puzzle together in his head.

Tooru. Three boyfriends. Hajime’s cryptic teasing. Iwaizumi. Tooru’s famous ‘Iwa-chan’.

Oh Aran was going to kill him in their next session. Hajime had been teasing him for weeks about it and he could have just  _ told him _ .

Aran had to forcibly pull his thoughts away from how much Hajime was going to laugh at him when Aran finally said he figured it out. Shinji-kun, he tried to focus, was the one that Shinsuke said kept hugging Atsumu after the principal thing happened. Also, something about macarons but Aran had honestly been more focused on the fact that Shinsuke had been crying on the phone and didn’t really manage to get more than the important bits out, which had been repeated with another crying session in Shinsuke’s bed.

“But… Didn’t he  _ keep _ hugging you after Hitoshi-kun was okay?” Aran asked, trying to get Atsumu to spill more without revealing he wasn’t 100% certain of what he was saying. Atsumu’s cheeks pinkened slightly and he shrugged his shoulders, looking through the glass wall at his brother now.

“Maybe… Just a little…”

“So, are ya going to marry someone who likes your brother more? Would  _ you _ marry someone if you liked their brother more?” Aran couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with a six year old. He wasn’t even sure what he was saying anymore but it seemed to be working because Atsumu hesitated.

“I… guess I wouldn’t…” Atsumu admitted, feet kicking out further before one foot moved to the ground and his leg started bouncing. “D’ya really think Shinji could like me more than… Then he likes ‘Samu?”

Atsumu sounded so hopeful as he looked up at Aran, eyes wide with the idea that anyone could love him more than his brother. Aran wasn’t sure if he wanted to cry at the knowledge that Atsumu had never been wanted before now or if he wanted to storm into Oomimi’s work and sign the paperwork now. He supposed the second would mean making Osamu leave the ice and he wasn’t ready to make him pout just yet.

“I really do. You’re a good kid, y’know Atsumu, and from what I hear, a really really good friend and an even better big brother.” Aran hadn’t necessarily heard Osamu say that, but he could see it in the way Osamu looked up to Atsumu. The way he followed him around and teased him in the way that all younger siblings were allowed to do to their older siblings.

Atsumu’s eyes welled up with tears as the words finished, fingers curling into his pants and eyes dead set on Aran’s. He opened and closed his mouth twice before any words managed to come out.

“R-really?” He hissed, breath fogging the air and for the second time that day Aran had the air knocked out of him. He wasn’t sure what it was that these boys were made out of, but it definitely didn’t feel like squishy human.

“Yes really… You have quite a grip wow.” Aran grunted, lifting Atsumu up and lowering him onto his lap so he could hug him back carefully. “You’re a  _ really really _ good kid, ‘Tsumu I promise. I wouldn’t lie to you ever. I’m sure Shinji likes you very much and you’re a very good friend of his, and I know that Osamu thinks you’re the best big brother ever.”

Aran gently adjusted his hold as Atsumu wrapped his arms around his neck, hot tears slipping just under his collar but he didn’t say anything. Instead he just gently rubbed Atsumu’s back, letting him get all the tears out while keeping an eye on Osamu skating around.

After fifteen minutes, Aran was certain Atsumu had fallen asleep. That was quickly tossed away when he heard Atsumu mumble his name softly, questioningly.

“Yes Atsumu?” Aran asked just as quietly, returning his gaze to him as Atsumu sat back on his knee and scrubbed at his red eyes.

“... Did you play volleyball with Tooru-san?”

Aran couldn’t do this. How was that even a topic with everything going on?

Still. This was his kid, so he had to answer no matter how strange or random the question seemed to be.

“Yes I did, why do you ask?” Aran hummed, expecting Atsumu to shrug and go into whatever he was thinking about.

“Well you said Osamu liked me and so I was thinkin’ about how Shigeru-kun really likes Shinji-kun as his best brother and  _ Shinji-kun _ says that Tooru-san is his favorite dad but we’re not allowed to tell him that and Tooru-san played volleyball and you played volleyball and Akagi said that he played volleyball-” Atsumu sucked in a breath and continued his word vomiting, “- and I- What’s volleyball?”

Aran could only thank the gods that he had grown up with Akagi at this point. It was like having a miniature of him sitting on his lap. Thankfully Atsumu was a lot cuter and didn’t try to lick his face.

“Uh volleyball is a sport with a ball, and a team…” For someone who had played since he was nine, Aran had no idea how to explain it. “Here lemme just…”

He wrapped an arm tightly around Atsumu and dug into his jacket to grab his phone before tapping through to youtube and his old games. He finally found a familiar one from the Olympics.

“That’s Tooru-san right there. He’s the setter, which means he sets the ball for everyone- Hang on, Osamu watch out-” Aran jolted as he realized Osamu was skating towards the wall. Osamu smacked into it but just giggled and reached out for the handle to pull himself out.

“I fell!” Osamu declared happily. “Twice!”

“Wha- _ When _ ?” 

“Uh… When you were grabbin’ your phone! I saw ya and I thought you were playing games and then I went to come over and  _ boom _ I fell! Then I tried to get up and  _ fwoop  _ I fell! Then I hit the wall, what’re you watchin’?”

Aran was going to have a heart attack and it would be because of these boys, he just knew it.

“Osamu are you okay?” Aran asked carefully and Osamu bounced closer, nearly falling again as he grabbed onto Aran’s outstretched arm and stepped up until he could crawl on Aran’s other knee.

“I’m havin’ fun! Whatcha watching?” Osamu said again, reaching for the phone.

“Aran-kun was talkin’ about volleyball.”

“Volleyball?” Osamu gasped, twisting and staring at Aran as he nodded. “What’s that?”

Aran wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh at how excited the two were about asking about volleyball or cry about how cute they were so he just sighed and hit the play button.

“This is Volleyball. That’s Tooru-san in the number two, and that’s me in the number five-” Aran explained, carefully going over the rules as the boys stared, completely enraptured in it. It was honestly the only thing Aran had ever seen them not be bored by ten minutes in.

  
  


Aran couldn’t say he was happy to drop the boys back off with Shinsuke. Not because he didn’t trust Shinsuke or worried about the boys, he just… Wanted to go inside with them. Even if it was just to watch over them a little longer or play one of their games to see them laugh. Or even… potentially get to see Shinsuke smile again.

However, he had his own job to get to and middle schoolers were known for making breaks for freedom if he wasn’t there to round them up. Osamu took off almost as soon as they were home, exploding into the house with a scream that he was taking his jacket off finally.

Atsumu was a little more… hesitant. He stopped at the threshold, turning back to look at Aran nervously. He didn’t ask anything but Aran didn’t need him too. He crouched in front of him, trying to match this kid who was turning to him for comfort with the young boy who had been chucking potatoes at his face out of jealousy last Sunday. So much had happened, lots of good and lots of bad.

“Hey now, cheer up.” Aran said, reaching forward to ruffle his hair. “I’m just going to work okay? Maybe Shinsuke will let me come over for dinner and he and I can show you how to play volleyball.”

Atsumu slowly nodded. He hadn’t talked much on the way home, leaving that for his more excited brother who had either dismissed the day before as a bad dream or was doing his best to make the most of it and cheer his brother up.

Atsumu had become more and more withdrawn the closer they got and Aran could tell he was thinking about being sent away again. He’d checked the street for extra cars, only relaxing when Osamu chirped a friendly hello loud enough to be heard from inside the house

Aran sighed, biting his lip as he thought of what to say. Shinsuke could end up being more than a little upset with him… but…

“Atsumu.” Aran said softly, waiting until nervous eyes met his. “Do you know why you don’t need to worry about being sent away?”

For a moment Atsumu looked confused, shaking his head. Then it seemed to hit him as his jaw dropped open just a tad, a whirling mass of hope and anxiety clear on his face.

“Atsumu. You still have two more weeks with Shinsuke. At the end of those two weeks, if you don’t want to stay here, you can come and stay with me. I’ll adopt you and Osamu, and you guys can come play volleyball anytime you want at the gym with me and we can keep you in the same school with all your friends and visit Shinsuke-san anytime you want.” Aran said and Atsumu froze, the only movement the rapid shaking of his chest with each breath.

“E-even…” Atsumu sucked in a harsh breath. “Even if Kita-san d-doesn’t want us? A-are you sure? Kita-san means a lot to… to you, ya said ya loved him.”

Aran hoped he wasn’t about to send a sobbing Atsumu back home to Shinsuke, because that really would get his ass kicked. He reached up to gently wipe away the few tears that spilled out of Atsumu’s eyes as he tried his best not to get his hopes up.

“ _ Even _ then. Atsumu. I do love Shinsuke, but I love you and Osamu too… differently then Shinsuke but I love you both too. I don’t break my promises remember? I caught you when you fell. I’ll adopt you if Shinsuke doesn't. No matter what happens. I promise.” This time Aran wasn’t caught unaware and wrapped his arms around Atsumu as soon as the child’s arms were around him.

“I love you too.” Atsumu mumbled, then he was turning like he was embarrassed of his own declaration and ran inside after his brother.

Aran was left speechless, an embarrassingly large smile growing on his face as he took two steps to the front door and closed it before heading to work. He was going to have to harass Shinsuke into letting him come over again tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was SO MUCH FUN to write!! I hope you all love it as much as I did.  
> Follow me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji!!


	23. Chapter 23

“No more jackets!” Osamu screamed as the front door started to close behind him and he immediately started to wiggle out of it without unzipping it. It caught around his shoulders and he whined, turning to look for his brother only to find himself alone.

He turned back around, eyes landing on a rather amused looking Shinsuke holding a plate of snacks.

“Hi Kita-san! I fell!” He called out, a giddy feeling rising in his chest when Shinsuke blinked at him. He couldn’t say why, but watching adults get confused was one of the funniest things he’d ever seen.

Osamu grinned as he twisted, trying to escape the jacket when he heard footsteps and froze as he recognized Oomimi. For a moment, cold dread poured into his stomach and he took a step back. He was waiting for the order to grab his things, or worse, Rika-san walking in behind him ready to take them away.

He was about to bolt, run back out to Aran and beg him to help when someone crashed into him from the right.

“Your house is huge!” Hitoshi’s voice screeched in his ear as they toppled to the floor.

“Hitoshi-kun be careful.” Shinsuke called, a chuckle following and Osamu relaxed. Shinsuke wouldn’t be laughing if they were being taken away, not after he’d been so upset Rika-san had been mean to them.

Osamu didn’t care  _ what _ Atsumu said, Shinsuke cared about them… Atleast… Osamu really hoped he did. Osamu loved Shinsuke, he was never scared around him, ever!

Even when Osamu had been with other foster parents, he’d been waiting to be smacked, waiting for the shoe to eventually drop and the pain to start. He’d never felt really safe until now, and he never wanted to leave. He just didn’t know how to get Shinsuke to want them back.

“Why’re you two on the floor?” Rintaro’s voice made Osamu and Hitoshi look up, grinning at the confused looking six year old who was looking over the couch at them. He was wearing the butterfly hair clip that Osamu had let him borrow the night before, tucking his hair away from his eyes.

“Why aren’t  _ you _ ?” Hitoshi shot back, giggling with Osamu and finally rolling off of him. He reached down, trying to tug Osamu up to his feet. Neither of them moved to free Osamu from his accidental jacket trap.

“Because I’m not weird- Oh here comes the hugger.” Rintaro shrunk away as the door to the store opened and the room was invaded by the two oldest of the Matsukawa’s.

Shinji, as Rintaro guessed, made a bee-line for Osamu and wrapped his arms around him almost immediately. Osamu giggled, shoving against him to try and return the hug as well as he could.

“Where’s ‘Tsumu?” Shinji chirped, wiggling and shaking Osamu by default. “We missed you at school today!”

“Shinji, darling, what did we say about shaking people?” A new voice called as the door shut behind Osamu. He glanced back to see his brother looking more than a little confused about the number of people in front of him.

“Not to shake babies!” Shinji called, ignoring the man’s sigh of defeat as he turned to follow Osamu’s gaze to Atsumu. He froze, lips twisting into a frown as he tried to figure out how to hug both of them without letting go of Osamu.

“That is not what we said… Partly what we said, but honestly, Shinji stop shaking people.” The man laughed and Osamu looked over at him curiously. It took him a moment to recognize Hajime in the thick coat before he shed it and wrapped it over an arm. Hajime blinked over at him before smiling and giving him a small wave.

“No,” Shinji insisted, shaking his head, “it’s how I’m friend… fr… friendly!”’

“I’m pretty sure rattling someone’s brains isn’t friendly.” Takahiro’s voice followed as the door opened again. He had multiple boxes in his arms, followed by Akira holding a tiny box very determinedly in his hands.

“That’s because you’re weird.” Shinji chirped, finally letting go to try and shake Atsumu next. Osamu laughed as his brother was enveloped in the older child’s arms and was forced into a hug, Atsumu didn’t seem to mind much. Osamu wasn’t really sure why Atsumu didn’t have a problem with Shinji holding onto him but would attempt to bite Osamu if he tried.

Then again, Osamu let Rintaro borrow his butterfly hair clips and wear them for school today and he had tackled his brother for trying to move them on Saturday.

Osamu paused, wondering if he could get Hitoshi to hug and shake his brother. Atsumu  _ probably _ wouldn’t bite him, he’d definitely bite Shigeru though… but maybe he wouldn’t bite Rintaro… but would Rin let him hug….

Osamu thought it over and didn’t even realize he wasn’t alone again until he felt the zipper being undone. He blinked back to himself, staring at the neutral face of Shinsuke as his foster parent pulled the jacket off.

“Did you have fun with Aran-kun then?” Shinsuke asked softly and Osamu thought about telling him that Aran loved him, but maybe it wasn’t the time for that. So he reached forward and laid his hands on Shinsuke’s shoulders.

“I hope you and Aran-kun learn how to walk together soon.” He chirped before turning and running off toward Takahiro as he lowered the boxes onto the new kotatsu that had replaced the table in between the couch and tv.

He didn’t see the look of complete confusion as Shinsuke turned to stare after him before he turned to welcome Atsumu into the house.

Atsumu shrank down slightly when he realized that Shinsuke was now focusing on him. He pressed against Shinji as if he was trying to hide behind the older child and couldn’t quite manage it even with Shinji’s shaking. It was slightly relaxing, the soothing swaying, pulling up the oldest memory in Atsumu’s mind. One so old it felt more like a wish then a memory of being held close and rocked as he pawed at the face of his mother smiling down at him.

Just thinking about the moment made pain shoot through Atsumu’s chest. She’d left him too, like everyone else. Even Shinsuke didn’t want them and seeing him so close after yesterday...

Atsumu _ hurt _ . He wanted to burrow his way into Shinsuke’s arms and cry, beg to not be given away. Beg him not to hate them. Atsumu had to keep reminding himself that Shinsuke didn’t want them.

He wanted to grab his brother and run back outside, drag them both back to Aran. Beg him to take them home  _ now  _ so Atsumu didn’t have to hear Shinsuke lie about caring for them, about wanting them around.

Atsumu knew better. He knew Shinsuke wasn’t happy with them, why else would he have tried to give them away to Rika-san? Shinsuke wouldn’t hurt them but he wouldn’t be happy until they were gone. Atsumu wanted Oomimi to take them away last night, but Osamu had been so shattered by the idea that Atsumu hadn’t been able to utter the request again after Osamu started crying.

Even if it was just for a few more days, Atsumu wanted Osamu to be happy.

He didn’t know if Aran would really take them or if Osamu would be happy but… 

No one had ever caught Atsumu when he fell before, or told him he was a good brother or a good friend. No one had ever said they loved him.

Atsumu wanted to stay with Shinsuke too, and wanted to stay with both of them. He loved them and it hurt thinking that he had to choose one or the other no matter what. Shinsuke wasn’t dating Aran and Aran said they weren’t ready for that.

Even if Shinsuke decided he did like them, did want them, Atsumu didn’t want to lose Aran. He didn’t want to keep losing people.

Why couldn’t he just have a family? 

Why was  _ everything so hard _ ?

“Atsu?” Shinji’s voice was right in his ear and it jolted him back to himself. The arms tightened around him, grounding him as he realized Shinsuke was crouching in front of him looking concerned.

“Atsumu? Did you hear what I said?” Shinsuke asked carefully and Atsumu had to swallow down a sob to shake his head. “That’s alright. I was just letting you know that we invited Osamu and your friends over to play games for a bit and stay the night.”

“O-oh… why?” Atsumu asked slowly, blinking as he recognized Rintaro, Shigeru, and Hitoshi all crowded around Osamu and Takahiro. Rintaro glanced back, holding up a small peace sign when he saw Atsumu looking before he was looking up at the baker.

“ ‘Cuz we missed you!” Shinji chirped before Shinsuke could say anything, giving another wiggle and shaking Atsumu almost violently. “You weren’t at school and Kita-san said you didn’t have a good night, so we’re going to make tonight super great!”

“Ah, yes, that.” Shinsuke hummed, looking rather fond at Shinji’s happy chattering. Maybe that’s why Shinsuke didn’t like them, they weren’t happy like Shinji.

“And if you get too tired you can always go to sleep early.” Shinsuke softly, trying to offer him a smile but it seemed to fall flat as concern washed over him again. “But tonight’s all about you and Osamu, okay little- Okay?”

Atsumu’s chest ached at the slip up. Osamu was ‘little one’, Atsumu wasn’t anything important. He slowly nodded his head, turning away until Shinji’s arms fell off and he could tug off his jacket.

  
  


Osamu was happily kicking Atsumu’s legs as the sun started to dip below the sky. The kotatsu was heaven after the hours at the skating rink and even Atsumu had slowly started to relax. He gave his brother a half glare, trying to kick back around Shigeru’s legs who had put himself between the two of them after their first squabble.

“This is  _ happy fun times _ ,” Shigeru had declared, “if I can’t punch Rintaro then you can't hit each other!” 

“You did that.” Osamu had heard Takahiro mutter to Hajime as the personal trainer sighed and shook his head. “Let’s get his energy out with taekwondo, it’ll be fine, you said.”

“Atleast he stopped trying to throw dumbbells?” Hajime tried to offer before Osamu grew too bored of the conversation and turned back to his friends.

“Are you okay ‘Samu?” Hitoshi asked around a bite of roast, juice was slipping down his cheek and within seconds Rintaro was wiping his face off. “Ya look a bit sad.”

“ ‘m fine!” Osamu smiled brightly at him, ignoring the way his stomach rolled as he glanced over at the dining room where the adults had seated themselves to enjoy their own dinner. Aran hadn’t come over and Osamu had been hoping he would.

Shinsuke always seemed to relax more with him around, though there was something… different about him right now. Osamu couldn’t quite put his finger on it, maybe it was the way Shinsuke’s shoulders were dropped as he hummed around his cup. Maybe it was the fingers that weren’t tapping out on the table but calm and the glances over to them with a slight smile.

Osamu could only hope that it was because Shinsuke was happy to see them and wasn’t because he finally managed to get rid of them.

“Are you sure-” Hitoshi tried to push but Shinji tugged on his shirt and he fell quiet again. Shinji gave Osamu a smile that he couldn’t understand, but he wondered if maybe Shinji knew more than he said. Shigeru was giving almost the exact same smile as he put his legs between the twins’.

“How was school?” Atsumu asked tentatively and they all jumped as Rintaro dropped his head on the table.

“Terrible, absolutely terrible.” He complained, making Hitoshi giggle.

“Sensei made us write about our parents, and Rintaro finished early and she told him to make it longer.” Hitoshi explained and Shigeru and Shinji started to laugh too as Rintaro whined.

“Three times.  _ Three times _ , I had to write more about my parents.” He kicked under the table unhappily, only stopping when Hajime called over to watch out for the heater. “I don’t even know them! … So I wrote about Hajime-san and Issei-san.”

“He wrote all about the bakery and Sensei kept asking why his parents were called Dr. Suna, then.” Shigeru wheezed, ignoring Rintaro’s glare. “And… He.. He tried…”

“Rintaro-kun said they had a doctorate in bread.” Hitoshi said as Shigeru fell backwards, writhing with laughter. Rintaro’s entire face was bright red and he shoved a bite into his mouth to try and save face.

“I’m sure Tatay and Babba would be happy to know you think so highly of them.” Shinji tried to comfort him, but the snorts escaping him just made it impossible. Rintaro groaned, pressing his head back down onto the table again.

The pressure in Osamu’s chest seemed to relax for a moment and he flashed a smile at his brother who nervously returned it.

Osamu looked up at the sound of someone standing up, blinking at the approaching form of Shinsuke. He didn’t think they’d been too loud or annoying but maybe Osamu wasn’t being good enough-

“Dessert is in the fridge when you are done eating,” Shinsuke explained softly, stepping out of the way as Shigeru and Hitoshi immediately scrambled to stand up and rush to the fridge. “Or now I suppose.”

He hummed, walking over and kneeling in Shigeru’s spot between the twins. Rintaro and Shinji scooted closer together to give them a moment of privacy, quietly talking about bread degrees. Rintaro insisted they were probably real and Shinji seemed concerned as to why they needed one.

“I’m going to be with the others for the night, but if you need anything please let me know.” Shinsuke said softly and Osamu could see the difference in him. Something changed. He was so… relaxed. Osamu prayed it wasn’t because they were going to be taken away.

“And tomorrow, I was planning on going to visit my grandmother. Would you like to go with me after school? We can do your schoolwork at her house.”

Atsumu frowned and swallowed before he looked to Osamu. It took a second before Osamu knew what his brother was thinking but he did.

“That’s really late though… You don’t get off work until it’s dark and… then you do paperwork… Will your grandmother be awake then?” Osamu asked slowly, keeping his eyes on Atsumu until he was sure he had asked the right question.

“Actually, I will be leaving work before you get off school so I can finish my paperwork when you get home. That way I can spend the rest of the day with you.” Shinsuke said, looking at them the same way Tooru looked at his kids. Osamu wanted to cry from that look alone and he knew Atsumu did too.

“I thought-”

“Nothing is more important to me then you two.” Shinsuke said quiet but firm, looking them in the eye one at a time. “Absolutely nothing. Not work or even Aran and Akagi and Oomimi.”

Atsumu didn’t seem to realize he was crying until Rintaro was trying to wipe them away with his shirt. He glared at Shinsuke for a moment but relaxed as Atsumu reached out to hold onto Shinsuke’s shirt sleeve for a second and Osamu latched onto his arm immediately.

“I…” Atsumu started, swallowing and looking over at Rintaro and Shinji who were watching. They looked concerned but excited and Rintaro offered him a supportive smile.

“I w-would... “ He puffed up his chest and Osamu relaxed as he recognized his brother’s brash and bold nature coming out. “Please take us to visit, Sh-Shinsuke-san. We’ll be good and we would… like to spend more time with you.”

Atsumu tripped over the words but he was staring resolutely at Shinsuke’s shirt as if he could draw courage from the pale blue fabric. Osamu wasn’t sure what made him want to cry more, seeing Atsumu not looking terrified or that Shinsuke genuinely seemed to want them.

“Of course… I’ll let you be with your friends now, don’t forget your desserts and you can turn on the playstation when your plates are off the table.” Shinsuke said softly, patting both of their heads before he was standing up and letting Shigeru have his spot back.

They watched him walk away then Shigeru pulled out a second plate from behind his back with two slices of pie and ice cream.

“I snuck your desserts, this way we don’t have to leave the kotatsu, it’s so cold without it.” Shigeru smiled brightly as Hitoshi revealed his own hidden treats for Rintaro and Shinji.

Osamu glanced at his brother and reached over to swat at his face playfully. The whine that rose up made Osamu relax, they'd be fine. Hopefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little short so I'll try and write either a bonus chapter of the kids messin' around or a mid week update.  
> Follow me on twitter @WatacchiShinji


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this was the fluffiest chapter I've ever written lol for this story. I hope you enjoy it!! If you've drawn any fanart please let me know!! I absolutely love it.  
> Also I kept Granny as granny instead of Obaasan or Obaachan because it works better grammatically with english, just in case anyone else gets a little confused and I couldn't find her name anywhere. I think it's yumi? but I'm not sure

“What’re ya making?” Atsumu asked, pressing up against his brother as he listened to the whirring of the mixer in front of them. Shigeru glanced over at them, looking a little confused as the machine stopped and Issei pulled the attachment back and offered the bowl to the silver haired child.

“ ‘Tsa birthday cake, didn’t you see the order?” Shigeru said, carrying the bowl over to the table the twins were leaning against. He lowered it down in front of the baking pan and grabbed for the picture with a scribbled order under it.

“See?” He pointed at the picture of a cake with a soccer ball on it.

“Maybe they can’t re… read.” Akira’s voice piped up, quiet and nearly unheard but Shigeru’s head shot toward him immediately with a glare.

“You can’t talk… and you’re supposed to be with Tatay!” Shigeru’s voice pitched into a whine as he turned to his father. “Touchan! You said  _ I _ got to help make the cake, why is ‘kira here?”

Issei struggled to not make his amusement clear as he watched Akira waddle his way closer. The four-year-old turned to stare at Shigeru and latched onto Osamu’s leg, wrapping himself around it.

“.... Fine, he can stay.” Shigeru huffed as Osamu bent himself over to try and hug Akira back. Issei snorted out a laugh, turning away to hide it at Shigeru’s suspicious look. There were few ways to inform your six-year old that you weren’t planning on removing their brother anyways.

“What’sa birthday cake?” Osamu chirped, pulling Akira up as much as he could until the four-year-old was dangling in the air. Atsumu whined as he was kicked in the knee but after a second Akira was safely wrapped around Osamu’s chest like a koala.

Issei and Shigeru were both just staring at the twins though, Shigeru’s mouth hanging open.

“What do you-” Issei started softly before Shigeru interrupted him.

“You don’t know what birthday cakes are?!” He shrieked, looking more than a little horrified. Osamu glanced at Atsumu, shrinking away from the other child until they were pressed against each other for comfort and Akira was clutching on tightly in response to the mood shift.

“Uh… yes we do… we just… forgot?” Atsumu squeaked, clearly lying.

“Shigeru, calm down. They’ve lived different lives than you.” Issei gently pat Shigeru’s shoulder, giving the twins an understanding look. “Have you not celebrated your birthday’s before?”

“Uh, yes?” Osamu said at the same time as Atsumu shook his head.

“We’re usually at the hospital or the police station when our birthday comes around,” Atsumu said after a moment, glancing at his brother who squeezed the four-year-old in his arms a little harder. “Are… are you supposed to celebrate it?”

“Yes.” Issei said simply, hand moving to cover Shigeru’s mouth as he started to scream about birthdays. “It’s a great thing that you were born, so a lot of us like to have a small party with cake and presents.”

“What kind of presents?” Osamu gasped, blinking down at Akira as he wiggled.

“I got a kitty!” Akira shouted.

“No you didn’t, Princess just climbed in the box when you looked away.” Issei corrected but it did nothing to squash Akira’s enthusiasm.

“I got a kitty!” Akira said again, sticking his tongue out at Shigeru who was still shouting into his father’s hand as if he hadn’t noticed it.

“You have your Papa’s lungs.” Issei told Shigeru with a fondly exasperated look. “Please lower your tone darling, you’ll scare the twins and you’re hurting my ears.”

“Okay Touchan!” Shigeru shrieked as soon as the hand was removed from his mouth, completely missing Issei’s flinch. He turned to the twins who were staring at him, waiting for more words.

“Birthdays!” Was all he said, only moderately less loud than before. Issei chuckled, turning to wash his hands in the sink.

“Okay you four. I have to step out for a second, don’t mess with the mix… But they are getting whipped frosting, so Shigeru could you make the colors up for me? Get the piping bags ready and filled and put in the fridge?” Issei asked, watching the child bounce and scoot the mix further onto the table before he was climbing down his step stool and towards the pantry. “Hiro already made it so it just needs to be colored and put into piping bags.”

Shigeru turned and ran towards the fridge instead, calling for Atsumu and Osamu to come help him.

“Kita-san should be done with Papa soon, so you can help me get these colors all made until then.” Shigeru said, grabbing the bowls of frosting and offering one to Atsumu and another to Osamu who still had an armful of four year old. Shigeru stared at his brother before lifting up his shirt and shoving the cold bowl under it.

“You’re in the way.” Shigeru complained, only pulling it away when Akira unlatched from Osamu with a squeal. The four year old wiggled a safe distance away, trying to pat at his back to warm back up.

“Touchan!” He screamed. “Oniisan is bullying me again!”

“Again? It was only once today.” Shigeru shot back and Akira paused, thinking it over as the three older children carried their bowls to the lower table against the wall at Shigeru’s insistence.

“Oh… Touchan! Oniisan is bullying me for the first time today!” He howled instead, the sounds of footsteps approaching made him turn to stick his tongue out at Shigeru. Shigeru just opened his arms and Akira shot forward, wrapping himself tightly around his waist.

“Two seconds, guys, I was gone for two seconds… What happened?” Issei asked, taking in the twins holding metal bowls and his sons hugging each other.

“Nothin’.” Akira hummed, his face comfortably smushed against Shigeru’s chest.

“... It’s not even possible and I’m pretty sure you’re clones of your Papa. Atleast Shinji got some calm genes.” Issei sighed, not bothering to make it easier for the younger children to understand.

“Except that whole, shaking people thing.” Another voice said with a knock on the door.

“Shinsuke-san.” Atsumu chirped, brightening almost immediately and Osamu turned and put the bowl down before he ran off until he slammed into Shinsuke’s thigh.

“Aran had mentioned you decided to start a career in american football.” Shinsuke chuckled, staggering slightly at the speed before reaching down to pet his head. He turned to Issei who was trying not to laugh and failing miserably.

“You have a little something…” Issei wheezed, waving his hand at Shinsuke’s face. The shop owner moved his hand to his face, sighing as his fingers landed on something gauzy. He tugged the wedding veil off of his head and waved it at Issei.

“Your husband is a menace.” He said simply before turning and gently tucking the comb part into Osamu’s own hair. Osamu burst into giggles, face pressed back into Shinsuke’s hip and Shinsuke couldn’t help but feel his heart melt a little.

He couldn’t quite say what happened, what it was that Atsumu whispered to Osamu that morning before school that seemed to drag Osamu into the happiest mood, but he was grateful. Seeing Osamu smile made everything of the past month worth it and Shinsuke was going to do his damndest to get Atsumu smiling like that too.

“Which one?” Issei teased back, humming at Shinsuke’s half glare. “Ah, both of them.”

“ _ Tooru _ should be put on a leash and not left near matches.”

“You’re not wrong, that’s why we don’t let him near the ovens. Trust me, he’s been complaining about it for seventeen years now and I don’t think I’ll ever let him near an open flame after our failed fifth anniversary.” Issei’s face screwed up slightly as he remembered that day.

“Was that the one with fireworks?”

“Yep… I don’t think Argentina ever really forgave us for that… Anyways, are you ready for the boys now?”

“Yes, I do apologize for being late you two, Tooru-kun and Koushi-kun were trying to use me to tailor a dress and wouldn’t let me out of it.” Shinsuke said, giving a half bow as Atsumu made his way to him. He still looked a little hesitant but he reached up to grasp Shinsuke’s hand.

“Thank you for entertaining them so they didn’t have to wait at home alone.” Shinsuke said, giving another bow and Atsumu and Osamu copied him before they were waving goodbye to Shigeru and Akira.

Issei chirped out a goodbye, waving at the twins from behind his counter. The door closed with a tinkle behind them and both of the boys turned up to look at Shinsuke curiously.

“Let’s get back to the shop to drop off the veil and grab my keys and wallet. Then we can head to the train, it’s about forty minutes away so use the bathroom before we go.” Shinsuke said softly, squeezing the hands in his and leading them across the street.

The twins were quick to run through the store, only stopping for half a second to watch Tooru attempt to drag Keiji across the store towards Koushi’s waiting fabric. Then they took off again, disappearing into the office between the two spaces.

“... If you must put anyone else into a dress, please ask Bokuto-san.” Shinsuke said, keeping his face carefully neutral to bask in the deep, deep, red that Keiji turned and allowed Tooru to get the upper hand to manhandle him.

“You’re a terrible person.” Keiji said dryly, standing stock still as fabric was wrapped over him and pinned into place.

“So I’ve been told. Keep Tooru-kun out of the lighters.” Shinsuke hummed and made his way after his boys, ignoring Tooru’s grumbling. He stopped in the doorway to grab Osamu’s jacket and tossed it over his arm, for some reason Osamu was almost violently against wearing jackets.

Shinsuke entertained the idea that it was static electricity before he tossed the idea aside and continued his path to the front door. He tugged on his own jacket, having forgone it earlier for the quick trip across the street. The boys were giggling about something in the backroom but he didn’t bother to go check, glancing at his watch instead.

Osamu shot out of the bathroom, veil still flowing behind him.

“The veil!” He shouted, taking off into the shop with his brother hot on his heels.

“No running! You’re going to fall… and they’re gone.” Shinsuke blinked slowly after them, before deciding to let them have some time to themselves. He turned back to the kitchen, moving to finish the rest of breakfast’s dishes.

He had just grabbed his wallet, wondering what the twins had been doing for the last half hour when he heard a light rap on the door.

Confusion flooded through Shinsuke as he reached for the door and opened it.

“Hey.”

Shinsuke was going to have to do something about his own heart because it had no business jumping around in his stomach at the sight of the easy smile on Aran’s face. His eyebrow was quirked a little and Shinsuke wanted to kiss the small scar that ran through it. He pushed the urge away, trying to remember if he invited Aran over or not.

“I’m going to go ahead and guess from your confusion that Akagi’s playing one of his games again.” Aran sighed, shaking his head. “I just got a call from him that he was talking with the Matsukawa’s and the boys told him they’ve never gotten birthday presents.”

“They wha-” Shinsuke closed his mouth after a second. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to kick Akagi for trying to set him and Aran up on another partial date or because he didn’t bother to tell Shinsuke that first.

Aran shifted, pulling a plain brown box from behind his back.

“So I brought this over, but it seems like you already had plans.” Aran looked him up and down and Shinsuke had to remind himself that Aran was looking at his shoes and jacket,  _ not _ checking him out. 

“I was going to take the boys to see Granny… Did you run to the store to get them a present? How did you get back here so fast?”

“First of all, I live and work like two blocks down the street remember? Second, this was going to be your New Year's gift since I missed your birthday last year but I think the boys will enjoy it more.” Aran shrugged, not even ashamed at Shinsuke’s affronted huff.

“I expect a different present then… What is it?” He reached for it, scowling when Aran pulled it away.

“Let me visit Granny and I’ll tell you before I let the boys open it.” Aran said, holding the box up above his head. Shinsuke debated on giving into the childish urge to kick him in the knee and take it, but decided ultimately to  _ not _ . Akagi would be disappointed.

“Why do you want to visit  _ my _ Granny anyways?”

“Because she loves me and I haven’t seen her in years. Besides, if she finds out you didn’t let me come she’ll be sad.”

Shinsuke couldn’t even claim false pretenses, Granny loved Aran. She would be very disappointed if she found out Shinsuke didn’t let him come over especially since the boys probably would talk about how much they liked Aran.

Shinsuke was at a stalemate. He could deny Aran and spend the entire time with the kids, knowing Granny would be sad and that  _ he _ would miss Aran and think about him and the boys would too. Or he could let him win and visit with them and Shinsuke didn’t want to lose.

“C’mon Shin.” Aran asked, tilting his head just a little to blink slowly at Shinsuke and he was too cute-

“Fine, yes. You can come see  _ my  _ Granny. We can figure out about getting the boys’ a party when we get back.” Shinsuke said pointedly, trying to ignore the warmth that flooded his chest at the broad smile that spread across Aran’s face. He only fought his own for a few seconds before giving in.

It was still a surprise when he felt soft lips brush over his cheek. It was also clearly a surprise to Aran too because he immediately went dark with a blush and walked into the wall, trying not to look at Shinsuke. He slipped his way over to the kitchen island, putting the box down and clearly trying to hide his face.

“Never should have gone to France.” Aran mumbled to himself, head pressed against the box. “Just had to go native didn’t I…”

Shinsuke knew he had been the one to set the boundaries but he couldn’t say Aran wasn’t absolutely adorable when he was embarrassed. Not to mention, the more he fell into his new routine, the more he relaxed, the more he could say he wouldn’t mind if perhaps…  _ perhaps _ a relationship with Aran grew a lot sooner than they intended.

He had been thinking of the twins and Aran as two very separate things. Which they were, but they were also intertwined. Aran had made it clear he was going to be a part of the boys’ lives, a major part. In doing that, Shinsuke wasn’t going to struggle under the pressure of being a single father because he wasn’t going to be a single father, not really.

“The boys are in the shop, I was just about to go and get them.” Shinsuke hummed, watching him straighten up and march towards the other door leaving the package behind.

“Thank you!” He squeaked back to Shinsuke, still too shy to look back at him.

“Shinsuke!” Shinsuke barely had a moment to start to take off his shoes when he was being pulled into a full body hug. He folded over instantly, hugging her back as tightly as he dared.

It had really been months since they had last seen each other and phone calls were never enough. She still smelled like her cherry blossom lotion and incense she burned constantly and it was a rush of emotions that flooded through him.

“Granny. How are your classes going? I brought some newspapers for your paper mache projects. ” He asked as he was released. She grinned brightly at him, reaching up to pat his face softly.

“Always so thoughtful, my Shin-chan.” Granny cooed, leaning around him to the twins who were clutched onto Aran’s legs. She smiled softly and waved at them.

“Hello there, you must be Osamu and Atsumu. Shinsuke’s told me so much about you two.” She said cheerily, smiling at them.

They glanced up at Shinsuke, carefully letting go of Aran’s pants as if they were expecting to have to grab on to him again any second.

“I-I’m Atsumu.” Atsumu said softly, glancing at Shinsuke before giving a bow and backing up into Aran again until he could feel the man’s hand on his back. Osamu introduced himself as well, before stepping forward and hesitantly taking hold of Shinsuke’s hand.

“It’s quite alright to be a little shy, why don’t we take our shoes and jackets off and we can come sit under the kotatsu and have some tea.” Granny offered, keeping her smile soft as she glanced between the twins and then over to Shinsuke so the boys wouldn’t feel pressured to answer.

“That sounds lovely, Granny, thank you.” Shinsuke dipped his head, looking over his shoulder to smile comfortingly over at Atsumu before he was bending to start helping Osamu out of his jacket.

“Finally,” Osamu whispered as the jacket tugged off, “freedom.”

“Why are you so against jackets?” Aran asked, helping Atsumu out of his own and hanging them up.

“It’s all.. Crackly.” Osamu said, looking at Aran as if  _ he _ was the weird one.

“Crackly?” Aran repeated, glancing over at the understanding look on Shinsuke’s face. “No… Oh my gods…”

“Osamu… Do you mean when you take it off and on and it tickles your skin and zaps you? “ Shinsuke asked slowly, humming when Osamu’s eyes went wide and he gasped.

“You know about it too?”

“I do. I don’t like my jacket much either and Aran always gets grumpy when I put it on my shoulders because he’s just a grumpy person.”

“You two… Jacket weirdos.” Aran mumbled, nodding along with Atsumu. Osamu stuck his tongue out at his brother while Shinsuke just reached up and half pulled Aran down until Shinsuke could pull himself to his feet.

“Y’know,” Shinsuke said conversationally as Osamu bent to take his shoes off, “your jacket looks awfully warm. And about my size…”

“If you even think about it I  _ will _ put yours on and stretch it out and then tell Yukie-san that you did it.” Aran said pleasantly but all Shinsuke could think about was the time Yukie had found out that Asahi had accidentally stretched out Nishinoya’s hand sewn shirt. Asahi still wasn’t the same after that.

“Keep bullying me in my Granny’s house….” Shinsuke smiled purposely, making his voice as sweet as possible as he took Osamu’s hand.

“Oh I will. Because I’m Granny’s favorite.” Aran said back, gently guiding Atsumu into the house and calling out. “Granny? You forgot to give me my hug.”

“Oh, don’t be upset, I didn’t want to startle the children. C’mere Aran-kun, I missed you while you were overseas. Help me bring these cups out, did you get my sweaters I sent? It gets terribly cold in France and I was worried about you!” Granny continued to chatter, wrapping Aran into a tight hug. She let go of him only to offer Atsumu a small cookie that was quickly taken before he said something. The tenseness in his shoulders slowly bled out when Aran gently rubbed small circles onto his back and Atsumu smiled up at Aran, leaning into his side to nibble on the cookie.

The words were too soft for Shinsuke to hear but he assumed it was Atsumu checking on the ingredients so that Osamu wouldn’t eat anything he was allergic to. Aran’s head turned just enough to stick his tongue out at Shinsuke.

“Osamu, promise me you won’t let Aran be your favorite?” Shinsuke said, looking down at Osamu who burst into a laugh as he let go of Shinsuke’s hand to wrap himself around his arm instead.

“Pinky promise! Rin-kun is my favorite and Hitoshi-kun… oh and Akira-kun! But don’t tell Shinji-kun! He might not give me anymore hugs.” Osamu chattered, happily being led into the other room. He kept glancing at his brother and every time he did\, he seemed to smile a little brighter, like everything was falling into place around him.

“So I heard you were a little chef,” Granny started as she finished lowering the tea kettle onto the kotatsu.

Osamu perked up almost immediately from where he had crawled onto Aran’s lap, attempting to see if he was growing a mustache or not. Aran had removed him twice already before giving in after Shinsuke started encouraging Osamu to check even closer. Shinsuke was doing his best not to laugh into the teacup he was using to hide his smile but it wasn’t working.

“I am! Shinsuke-san says I’m his favorite chef even more than Hajime-san across the street!” Osamu said quite proudly, smiling so widely his eyes were forced shut.

“I’m so glad to hear that! Because I was  _ just _ in need of a chef to help me with dinner.” Granny gasped, and Osamu nearly tossed himself off of Aran’s lap in his desperation to turn back to Shinsuke to ask permission.

“Pretty please Shinsuke-san?” He chirped, pawing at his brother’s head to force it down so he could stare at Shinsuke. Atsumu whined, wiggling desperately away until he was comfortably safe on Shinsuke’s lap instead.

“Yes, yes of course.” Shinsuke hummed, reaching out to rub his hair until it was going everywhere. Aran swatted at his hand, quickly fixing it and Shinsuke wanted to laugh. It felt like so long ago he was nagging Akagi for letting the boys outside with messy hair and here he was doing it himself.

Aran seemed to notice the glint in his eye and stuck out his tongue.

Osamu didn’t notice, his own giggling fading as he tried to escape the heavy weight of the kotatsu and ran around it to Granny’s side. She was already smiling and laughing as she moved to her feet and gently laid a hand on Osamu’s shoulder. There was no fear in Osamu, no hesitation.

Again, Shinsuke had to wonder what it was that Atsumu had told Osamu that morning that had them both so much more relaxed. He suspected Aran knew, but that wasn’t a conversation to have over tea.

“You have so much energy! You’ll be the absolute best cook one day.” She said, glancing over at Aran and Shinsuke again. Aran was trying to temp Atsumu into his lap with his phone, rolling his eyes dramatically at Shinsuke’s teasing of being the favorite.

“You’re not the favorite, you’re just letting him play on  _ your _ phone.” Aran pointed out and Shinsuke shifted his arm to block the device from view.

“I have absolutely no idea what you could be talking about.” Shinsuke smiled, almost purposely fluttering his lashes. Aran’s cheeks were just barely dusted with a blush and he kicked Shinsuke’s ankle under the table, smirking at Shinsuke’s offended gasp.

“You two.” Granny chortled, smiling over at Shinsuke who looked up immediately. “You have quite a nice young man right there, don’t you let him run off again.”

“Oh he won’t. He won’t be going anywhere.” Shinsuke said confidently, glancing over at Aran’s soft groan.

“Shin, you can’t just say that! You don’t know that at all.” Aran shook his head, Shinsuke’s confidence could be his downfall sometimes. Just because he was right didn’t mean Shinsuke had to point it out, or assume that it would be the same in five years. It would be,  _ but still _ .

“Oh?” Shinsuke hummed, turning to look at Aran fully. Just that single word was incredibly soft, already as affectionate as the loving look in his eye.

“Don’t I, though?” Shinsuke asked and Aran had to remind himself he wasn’t allowed to just drag Shinsuke into a kiss right here and now. Not only because Granny was  _ still _ laughing at them and Atsumu was in Shinsuke’s lap, but he still had to wait for Shinsuke. But he could do that, he could do that forever. Waiting was nothing.

The moment was interrupted by Atsumu’s gentle tug on Shinsuke’s sleeve.

“Wait…” He scream-whispered. “We are leaving though… Me ‘n ‘Samu ‘n Lady ‘n Aran are goin’ to France.”

“I think I win as favorite, try again tomorrow Shinsuke.” Aran grinned, leaning over to wrap his arms around Atsumu and pull him onto his lap. “Okay Atsumu, now that you’re on the lap of the best person in the world. Should we have chocolate or vanilla for dessert tomorrow?”

“What’re we havin’? Blackberry ice cream is my favorite but vanilla is ‘Samu’s favorite.“ Atsumu gasped, clearly excited and openly relaxed despite his earlier terseness. “Wait! You’re comin’ over for dessert tomorrow?” 

Aran smiled over at Shinsuke, sweet and affectionate but still playful.

“I am now.”

Granny just laughed again at Shinsuke’s dramatic eye roll, turning to guide Osamu into the other room, wondering exactly how long she was going to have to wait for wedding invites or if she should plan it for next week already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me @Watacchishinji on Twitter or Miracleboiz on tumblr.  
> Please let me know if you've drawn any artwork, I would absolutely LOVE to see it.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that extra chapter I promised? Lol here you go

“Promise me you’ll never celebrate my birthday.” Shinsuke’s dry voice made Aran laugh as he looked around the room. It was covered from the ceiling to the wood flooring with streamers and balloons, wrapping paper was gliding happily over the floor every time one of the kids ran past. Lady was happily on the tile of the kitchen floor, accepting attention from everyone who passed and licking the ankles of every child.

They had all invaded Shinsuke’s home as soon as the birthday party had been confirmed and Friday came. It wasn’t just the kids either, everyone in the shop and the Matsukawa’s had insisted on coming as well, not even mentioning Oomimi and Akagi.

“Can’t promise that… But I’ll make it a lot smaller.” Aran said back, leaning a little more comfortably against the wall. Hitoshi took off suddenly, Osamu hot on his tail, only to yelp as he slipped on wrapping paper. Aran and Shinsuke both jolted forward only to relax again as Hajime caught the child without even looking, lifting Hitoshi up with one arm and swinging him in between himself and Asahi so Osamu wouldn’t slam into him.

“Boys! What did we say about running?” Tooru’s voice called from where he was being held down for Shirofuki’s lesson to Rintaro and Akira about how to match clothes together. “Pick up the wrapping paper at the very least, thank you.”

Hitoshi and Osamu both looked appropriately admonished, especially Hitoshi who was still clinging to Hajime’s arm from his fall. Osamu turned back to start picking up the wrapping paper, then he paused.

“Oh there it goes.” Shinsuke sighed, voice incredibly fond. “Cain instinct.”

“The what-” Aran turned to ask only to look back at the sound of loud crackling and saw Osamu crunching the wrapping paper into small balls and chucking them at his brother’s back. “Ah.”

Atsumu squealed, diving behind Shigeru for protection, glowering at his brother. It was only for a few more seconds before Atsumu was moving to tackle his brother, trying to shove the wrapping paper into his shirt and both of them scrambled for each piece to attack each other with. Hitoshi just watched in absolute fascination, not even noticing when he was released from Hajime’s hold.

“They’ve calmed down a lot since they went out with you on Tuesday.” Shinsuke commented, carefully sneaking a glance over at Aran. Almost immediately Aran’s face shifted with guilt, and Shinsuke told his anxiety to quiet itself.

“And I know Atsumu told Osamu a secret the next morning and ever since then, they haven’t been worried about anything.” Shinsuke continued, moving his gaze back to the boys and Shinji trying to wriggle his way in between them despite Rintaro’s calls for them to keep fighting. Shinji was currently just trying to hug them into submission and it was, amusingly, seemingly working.

“Ah…” Aran sighed, breathing in slowly and letting it out again. “I’d apologize but I’m not sorry…”

Aran straightened his back as he turned to look at Shinsuke, brown eyes filled with so much more emotion then they had any right to be. Shinsuke tilted his head up, waiting patiently for him to continue. There was no point in speculating, if Aran had ever been in the habit of lying Shinsuke would have never been his friend much less fallen in love with him.

“I told Atsumu that if you didn’t want to adopt him and Osamu that I would. I’m assuming that’s what he told Osamu about.” Aran said, though the guilt lingered at the corner of his downturned mouth his eyes were bright with a resolute will. 

Shinsuke didn’t say anything for a moment, wondering if it was the wrong moment to kiss Aran. Probably. The urge still lingered, however.

“Was there a particular reason? Or did you just want it to be known?” Shinsuke kept his voice neutral, watching the flicker of recognition in Aran’s eyes. He wasn’t upset, he wasn’t blaming Aran or angry he told them, but he was curious. Aran wasn’t the type to just  _ tell _ people how he felt, he preferred to show it until he had no other choice.

“You weren’t certain if you  _ could _ handle the boys even though you wanted them, and Asumu was panicking about being sent away. So I told him the truth, if for any reason you couldn’t or wouldn’t adopt them, they weren’t going to be sent away. I’d adopt them.”

“Ah, I should have guessed that… I’m going to ask them, after the party, if they’d like to stay with me. I don’t want them to stress about it right now, let them have their fun. But I’ve changed quite a few things the last few days, and I’ve been better for it, better for them.” Shinsuke informed him, heart turning to liquid at the same time it started to beat rapidly at the sweet affection on Aran’s face. His warm brown eyes softened as the guilt finally dripped from his lips and he was smiling so soft and small that Shinsuke wanted to kiss him to make it bigger.

“I noticed. I’m proud of you.” Aran murmured softly and Shinsuke hummed in response, not fully trusting himself to speak. “When I came home, you were on edge like you were waiting for a giant shoe to finally fall and crush you. Now… You’ve smiled six times in the last hour and honestly I think it’s a world record, has Akagi given you your award yet?”

Shinsuke shoved him away, rolling his eyes at the tease. Aran took a step back graciously, laughing heartily and drawing the attention of Osamu and Atsumu. They paused in their mutual shirt stuffing of the wrapping paper into a wriggling Shinji’s shirt, glancing at each other and then the adults as if thinking they caused it. Staring at the two, Atsumu shoved two wrapping paper balls in Shinji’s shirt again, making him squeal at the cold material and swat at both of them.

“Atsumu, don’t kill your friend.” Shinsuke said but he couldn’t stop his own chuckle, laughing a little harder when they both responded by covering Shinji with more wrapping paper. Much more and Shinji would be buried beneath a mountain, but he didn’t seem particularly distressed.

“You should go get your kids under control.” Aran chuckled and Shinsuke stepped forward only to toss an innocent look over his shoulder.

“I’ll get them if you can clean up  _ our _ kids mess.” Shinsuke said easily, turning away and moving to hustle the boys off of each other as Aran seemed to break down behind him.

“ _ Shinsuke _ .” Aran whined, only managing to move forward as Shinsuke removed his twins from Shinji’s new grave and shooed them off to join Takahiro and Hitoshi for more cake.

“Atsumu~ How’s your first birthday party?” Shinji asked, sitting comfortably on Takahiro’s lap as wrapping paper pieces were tugged off of him from where the tape had stuck.

Atsumu wasn’t quite sure how to say he’d literally never been more excited in his life so he just grinned and hugged the stuffed cat he’d gotten from Akira tightly to his chest. He looked up as a hand descended into his hair for a moment, watching Shinsuke continue on his path to the kitchen to help Oomimi with dishes.

He didn’t know what changed, not really, but Shinsuke was a lot more like he had been when they first met. Honest and firm, but kind and gentle. He didn’t seem so stressed anymore and Atsumu was pretty sure it was because of Aran, no matter what Aran said Atsumu _knew_ they had to be married at this point. If _his_ husband was in France for years, he’d be really tired and sad like Shinsuke had been the week before. But now he was okay and happy again!

Fear and apprehension still bubbled in his stomach, knowing that Shinsuke still might not want them… But if he was really married to Aran and Aran said _he_ _loved_ Atsumu and Osamu, then Shinsuke probably did too.

Or at least that’s what his six year old mind told him to keep him from feeling like he was going to start crying when he thought of Shinsuke trying to give them away again.

“I really like my presents! I didn’t know you got cool things for bein’ born.” He said when Shinji started to wriggle impatiently. “Like my new kitty!”

“Princess!” Akira chirped, hands waving at the toy he’d picked out for Atsumu that did indeed look like the Matsukawa family cat.

“Yes sweetie, you can see Princess later, you wanted Atsumu to keep the small Princess remember?” Tooru said from where he was holding Akira hostage behind them on the couch. He and Takahiro had been chosen to watch the kids while the remaining adults cleaned up the mess caused by half a dozen six year olds and an overly excited Akira who believed in destruction.

“Boo.” Akira huffed, turning and waving his hands at Osamu this time. “Oniisan. Oniisan.”

He chanted, shoving Shigeru’s face with a whine when Shigeru tried to grab him. He flapped his hands at Osamu again, even more aggressively.

“Oniisan.” He said, turning to stare at his dad before pointing at Osamu. “Oniisan.”

“Well that’s rude.” Shigeru huffed, ignoring his father’s amused smile as Akira was lowered to the ground and allowed to waddle over to Osamu until he could face plant onto his lap and close his eyes for a nap. Shigeru gave him a few seconds of peace before he flopped onto his side and laid his head on Akira’s back.

“ _ That’s _ rude.” Shinji giggled, leaning back against Takahiro as Hitoshi tried to push Rintaro down to get his own spot to nap.

“I’m not a pillow.” Rintaro insisted, swatting the hands coming at his face with a whine.

“Rin-kun, I’m tired.” Hitoshi insisted. “Why can Shigeru nap but you’re just mean to me? You let him nap on you on the way over, do you like him more than me?”

“What? No, of course no- ah!” Rintaro froze at the accusation and Hitoshi immediately used it to shove him over and flop over his stomach. “You’re a bully, Hitoshi-kun. You can fight your own fights now.”

“Mmmnope.” Hitoshi yawned, blinking like a happy cat to Atsumu. “Wait, everyone gets to snuggle ‘cept ‘Tsum.”

The younger child was starting to sit up, looking genuinely worried as Atsumu waved the cat toy.

“No, I have Princess-” He fell backwards as something dove into him and the rest of the group burst into giggles at the sight of Shinji giving Atsumu one of his infamous hugs. “I have Shinji too.”

“Your kids are mean.” Takahiro told Tooru, looking down at his now empty lap. Tooru just laughed, waving him over and tugging him onto the couch with him.

“Funny, I was about to say the same thing. Also that you forgot to tell us you adopted Osamu.”

“Oh no, that was fully Akira, he signed the birthday card himself to make it official.” Takahiro hummed, leaning in to rub their noses together as a chorus of ‘ew’s rose up from the kids. “Oh hush or you’re not getting anymore goodnight kisses from me.”

Shigeru and Shinji instantly clamped their hands around their own mouths, leaving Akira to mumble in his sleep as Osamu awkwardly tried to pet his hair like Shinsuke did for him.

“I want a goodnight kiss! That would be the  _ best _ birthday gift.” Atsumu gasped, blinking at the two adults as they seemed to wince. “What is it-”

A loud squeal erupted from him as two wet kisses were smushed into his cheeks on either side from the eldest Matsukawa boys. Atsumu giggled, not able to hear what Tooru and Takahiro were saying before they were laughing.

“Me next!” Hitoshi gasped, sitting up and elbowing Rintaro in his haste.

“No! I don’t want kisses-”

“Rin-kun wants kisses too! It’s night time, all the good night kisses!” Hitoshi insisted, loud shrieks of laughter erupting from the group as Shigeru and Shinji dragged Atsumu over to help hold Rintaro down despite his half-hearted whines.

“Okay… I’ll claim that habit, that was me.” Takahiro hummed, pressing a kiss to his partner’s forehead as they watched to make sure no one pushed anyone too far even for affection.

“I think the best birthday present would be parents.” Osamu said, rather lost in thought as his hand patted up and down on Akira’s head. Takahiro shot a pointed glance at Tooru, grumbling when he got a gentle nuzzle to his cheek instead.

“Just be patient, Osamu, I don’t think you have to wait for that much longer.” Tooru said, watching the child’s eyes slide over them to the kitchen. A wide smile started to spread over his face and he looked back to Tooru.

“I think so too!” He chirped, returning to his rhythmic patting of Akira’s head. “Aran and Shinsuke-san just need to walk, ice skating is really hard after all!”

  
  


Aran didn’t lift the arm from his eyes as a weight settled beside him.

“Didja finally manage to wrangle him in?” Aran asked, tucking the passed out Atsumu more comfortably against his chest.

“Passed out as soon as I picked him up, Lady helped.” Shinsuke’s voice came from his side before his head was settling onto Aran’s shoulder.

The volleyball player let his arm drop, wrapping it around Shinsuke’s shoulders and gently stroking over Osamu’s hair as the child snuffled in his sleep. Shinsuke yawned, eyes half shut as he tilted his head up to blink prettily up at Aran.

“... I’m glad I don’t have to go to work tomorrow.” Is all he said and Aran snorted, amused at the bright silver eyes taking him in. “What’re you doin’ tomorrow?”

“Mm, not much, it’s my day off too. I was going to let Lady go to the park with me, but that’s all… But I’m open for whatever you want.”

“I could be asking for you to be a nude model.” Shinsuke pointed out and Aran had to stifle another laugh to keep from waking up the boys.

“Oh yeah? And how are you planning on keeping the boys entertained during that?”

“... You make a good point… When were you planning on taking Lady out?” Shinsuke said, glancing over at the patter of paws as Lady moved over to sniff at them after hearing her name so much. She sniffled at Atsumu’s feet before sliding down to relax against the bottom of the couch.

“Mm, about seven or eight… When do the boys get up?” Aran tilted his head until he could just barely nose at Shinsuke’s hair and Shinsuke shifted even closer. He pressed a kiss there instead, too tired to care about pretending when Shinsuke didn’t care.

“Sevenish, though they may sleep in a little…. Mind if we tag along?”

Aran didn’t bother to tell him that he’d do anything to spend the day with the boys. He just pressed another kiss to his head and hummed in agreement.

“I should get going… Otherwise I’m going to fall asleep on the way home.” Aran sighed, already shifting to get up when an arm wrapped around him.

“Aran. We’re adults. You can sleep in the bed with me…” They both glanced at Atsumu’s loud whine at being shifted before he managed to wrap his arms fully around Aran’s neck. “Mmmkay, sleep in the bed with the three of us.”

Shinsuke didn’t bother to hide his laugh, eyes half shut as his arm released Aran to pat at the bottom of the couch until Lady licked his hand.

“Four of us.” He amended and Aran chuckled.

“Do I need to carry the four of you to bed then?”

“Mmhmm… Soon, I would hope, otherwise I’m blaming you for my back pain.” Shinsuke mumbled, mechanically stroking Lady’s fur.

“And mine? For carrying you?”

“Mmm… ask me again in a month. When we’ve had the kids for a bit, might be ready to kiss you then… I think I just need a month… Adjust ‘n everythin’.” Shinsuke said into Aran’s shoulder as he tried to hold him again when Aran started to move.

“... I’ll give you eternity either way.” Aran murmured into his hair, pressing a final kiss there before pulling Atsumu free from his neck. It took some coaxing to get him to hold onto the pillow instead, but eventually Aran was able to get him off and slip Osamu from Shinsuke. He took hold of Atsumu again, wincing as his beard was grabbed.

The trip was fast, Lady trotting after them to jump onto the bed and curl around the twins. Then Aran was back, slipping his arms around Shinsuke’s back and under his legs before lifting. Shinsuke nuzzled into the hold, another yawn dragging one from Aran.

“Remind me… to ask the boys tomorrow… Got t’busy tonight… Not putting it off… just tired.” Shinsuke mumbled into his neck, clearly letting go of everything, even his own discipline to leave Aran in charge.

“I will. Now go ahead and sleep.” Aran murmured, carrying him to the bed and barely managing to crawl in himself and tuck the blankets up when the twins were moving. They seemed only awake enough to move toward the closest heat source, scrambling over Shinsuke until they were half laid across both of the adults.

Aran hummed and closed his eyes, letting the boys get settled without another thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone feel like we haven't focused enough on the boys?? I feel like it's slipped away from them a bit too much even allowing for focus to be on kita :/  
> Hope you love this chapter!! The Matsukawa kids are my favorite to write because I adore Aoba and I think they would be so overly affectionate as kids.  
> Follow me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter, but an epilogue will be up next week. Let me know if you’d be more interested in teen-adult epilogue or still young kids epilogue. Thank you so much for taking this journey with me, it's been an amazing journey.  
> Warning: nightmare in the beginning and a slight panic attack description nothing in depth

Osamu was surrounded in black. Something soft was under his hands but no matter what he did he couldn’t see anything. He squirmed, chest tightening when he couldn’t speak.

He tried to cry out, tried to move, looking for his brother. He writhed, trying to get his body to respond as panic started to fill him. Still, he couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.

“Osamu?” A voice seemed to cut through the darkness but it wasn’t Atsumu’s voice. Osamu didn’t know who it was, he couldn’t see or move. He was always in bed by himself or Atsumu.

Where was he? Where was Atsumu? Why wasn’t his brother coming to help him?

Terror clawed at his heart and he struggled to breathe as the salty taste of tears hit his lips.

“Osamu!” The voice came again, sterner and Osamu jolted up, eyes snapping open. He stared at Aran’s face for a second without really seeing him, confusion and panic flooding through him.

Osamu spun, catching sight of silver hair from Shinsuke on his side and Lady on Aran’s right but Atsumu was nowhere to be found. He shoved off the hands trying to comfort him, desperate to find his brother.

Atsumu wouldn’t leave him right? Atsumu had promised to be there for him. He said he would fight anyone trying to take him away no matter what. Atsumu wouldn’t leave him for anyone, not Shinsuke, not Aran, not Shinji. Atsumu wouldn't.  _ Atsumu wouldn’t _ .

“ ‘Tsumu!” The cry finally broke from followed by a loud sob. “ ‘Tsumu! ‘Tsumu!”

“ ‘Samu?” Atsumu’s voice yawned as his head popped up from between Shinsuke and Lady. He’d been tucked rather tightly against Shinsuke’s chest and seemed more than a little bit confused.

He crawled over Shinsuke as the man started to wake up himself. Osamu was flying at him the moment Atsumu was close enough to be tackled into a hug. Osamu sobbed as he held onto his brother as tightly as he could, only clinging harder at Atsumu’s yelp of his name.

“ ‘Samu? ‘Samu what happened?” Atsumu whined, looking close to tears himself and in a heartbeat he was sobbing too as he hugged his brother back.

“I couldn’t... move..” Every break was racked with another sob from Osamu, “then I couldn’t breathe… and I… I woke up… you were  _ gone _ … I couldn’t find you… Thought you left me… Don’t leave me ‘Tsumu… Please don’t leave me.”

Atsumu clung to his brother, shaking his head and wrapping himself around him as if to help him hide from the world.

“ ‘m never going to leave you ‘Samu, never ever.” Atsumu promised, eyes pressed shut even as tears slipped out bit by bit.

“Thought someone… someone took…” Osamu choked on the words, rocking in his brother’s arms as the panic started to overwhelm him.

“Osamu, breathe in.” Shinsuke said, sitting up slightly as the fog in his eyes started to fade. “Seven seconds, breathe with me and Atsumu.”

Osamu gulped in a breath, barely reaching the full time. Atsumu tried to rub his back like he’d seen Shinsuke do, breathing in time with Shinsuke. Aran shifted slowly to sit up, but Osamu didn’t even seem to notice, too busy holding onto Atsumu like a lifeline.

Nearly half an hour passed before Osamu was able to blink open his eyes tiredly at Shinsuke. He glanced over his shoulder, staring at Aran’s concerned face for a moment before releasing his brother. He fell back against Aran’s chest instead, half on his lap.

“I don’t like bad dreams.” He mumbled, a yawn breaking from him. “I thought… Maybe…”

Guilt was written across his face and he shrunk down slightly, pawing for Atsumu’s hand to hold. He wouldn’t look at Shinsuke though, even when Shinsuke sat up more to watch him, stroking Lady’s back to keep her from tackling the kids and licking them to cheer them up.

“Maybe… Shinsuke had given Atsumu away to Aran when I fell asleep last night.” His head hung down low with shame. “I’m sorry…”

“Oh little one.” Shinsuke whispered softly, moving closer. “Is this alright?”

He waited until Osamu was nodding before he kicked out of the blanket and pulled Atsumu onto his lap so he could sit knee to knee with Aran. Atsumu instantly grabbed Aran’s shirt too, as if to keep him from going away.

“There’s no need to be sorry, Osamu.” Shinsuke soothed softly, “You had a nightmare, it’s okay to be scared after that. But there’s no need to worry about Atsumu being given away on his own-”

“I don’t want to leave you though!” Osamu blurted, freezing and patting with his free hand until it could wrap around Lady’s collar. “I wanna stay with Aran, but I wanna stay with you too but I don’t know if you w-want us or… or… or…”

Aran gently rubbed Osamu’s back, letting the child shake as he stared at Shinsuke. He gave Shinsuke a pointed look over their heads but Shinsuke didn’t need it. Seeing Aran in such a vulnerable spot with his kid on his lap though, definitely set Shinsuke’s heart to beat a little harder though.

“No, Osamu that isn’t what I meant.” Shinsuke explained softly, his hand not on Lady’s fur moving to stroke through Atsumu’s hair. The child sighed softly, flopping back against his chest and tilting his head up to stare at him with wide eyes.

“I was going to wait until breakfast time, but I suppose five am works too.” Shinsuke hummed softly, the slightest curve of his lip appearing at Atsumu’s almost timed yawn. “I know, when you spoke to Oomimi you told him you didn’t want to be adopted by me-”

This time Atsumu was the one to shrink down, his own guilt and panic overtaking the almost peaceful look he’d had on his face. He hadn’t meant to make Shinsuke upset then, he just thought that Shinsuke would be happier with them gone. He wouldn’t have been so stressed or busy.

“But, I also know that was a very stressful and bad day,” Shinsuke continued, leaning his head down just enough to press a kiss to Atsumu’s forehead. “And I wanted to ask you now.”

Atsumu’s eyes widened immeasurably as he stared up at Shinsuke. His grip on his brother’s hand tightened and both of the twins’ eyes were locked on Shinsuke.

“You and Aran are going to get married again and keep us!” Atsumu blurted before Shinsuke could open his mouth. Of course  _ that  _ was why Aran said he would keep them before! Because he and Shinsuke we’re getting back together after Aran moved to France and Aran was keeping it a surprise! Just like the birthday party!

Osamu had to let go of Lady to hold onto Aran’s knee as his chair started to laugh. Aran tried to hold it back, desperately pinching his lips shut but he couldn’t. Laughter broke from him as he wrapped an arm around Osamu to keep him from being bounced around, a wide grin on both of their faces.

“Keep you, yes, Aran and I….” Shinsuke said delicately, chuckling quietly himself. “I was-”

“ ‘Tsumu you dummy.” Osamu interrupted, moving to swipe at his brother’s face playfully. “They gotta learn to walk in their ice skates before they get married. They haven’t been skatin’ cuz they’ve been with us.”

“Ohhh, right! Can we go ice skating so you can get married and keep us?” Atsumu said, nodding his head to the clear logic of his brother’s words.

Aran was nearly wheezing with laughter, Osamu more than a little happy to be shaken as Aran tried to calm himself. It worked for a few seconds before he caught sight of Shinsuke’s unamused stare and raised eyebrow and the laughter broke out again.

Shinsuke’s lips quirked up in response and he pressed them together, looking away before Aran dragged him into a laughing fit. It definitely didn’t help the soft warmth slowly building in his chest as he looked down at his two boys clearly excited.

“Atsumu, Osamu, would you like to be adopted by me?” Shinsuke asked, watching in amusement as Lady started to crawl her way between them as if trying to hold Osamu down from the force of the still laughing Aran.

He wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of two excitable six year olds launching themselves at him and trying to scramble up towards his face. He squeaked as he fell back, feeling two hands wrap around his wrists and tug him back up.

Aran’s smiling face greeted him as the boys scrambled over him, trying to hug his neck and each other at the same time. Shinsuke shifted, waiting for Lady to move herself onto Aran’s lap instead before he was leaning against Aran’s shoulder.

“I don’t think you have a few years to make me wait,” Aran teased him lightly, “You might have another forty five seconds before they start asking about ice skating again though.”

Shinsuke tossed him a fake glare, wrapping his arms around the boys and nuzzling the hair under his nose. He closed his eyes for a moment, just taking in a breath to revel in the moment. His boys. All three of them. Right here with him. No one was going anywhere, they were a family even if the last bit of the puzzle was going to take some time to put together.

“I know you taught them that, what does it even mean?” Shinsuke grumbled, blinking when Osamu sat up suddenly and let go of Shinsuke’s neck.

“Oh! Oh! I know. Can I tell him? Please Aran?” Osamu begged, reaching over to pat at Aran until he was sure he was being paid attention to. Aran was going to have to talk to the Matsukawa’s about their cat teaching his kids how to beg for attention.

“Sure, darling, go ahead.” Aran hummed, settling in to hear what he assumed was going to be a ridiculous version of what he’d told the boys days ago.

“Okay, okay, so!” Osamu started, happily holding onto the collar of Aran’s shirt. “There’s lotsa steps to ice skate. Ya gotta go to the place, then you gotta walk around, then you gotta check your feet and make sure they’re… feet. Then you get your shoes, and you put them on and then you gotta  _ tie _ them and that’s super hard, I needed help but ‘Tsumu was really good at it… and….”

He blinked, trying to remember what he had been talking about, then grinned again.

“Then you have to walk in them and ‘Tsumu isn’t good at that, then you have to step on the ice and it’s super super scary but since Aran-kun will be there it’s not so scary. Then you gotta learn to skate! And Tooru-san and Hajime-san and Issei-san and Taka-san all had each other and learned to ice skate like… a bajillion years ago, that’s why they’re married!”

Shinsuke kept the smile on his face but he had absolutely no idea what was just said to him.

“Ah… Thank you for that explanation, Osamu. Perhaps Aran and I will… try to go ice skating and… learn to walk in them?” He said cautiously but it seemed to be the right thing to do because Osamu brightened and Atsumu’s hold got tighter.

“Okay boys, if we’re not going to go to bed again, we need to eat-”

“Cake!” Atsumu and Osamu shouted together, making both adults wince.

“No.” Aran said sternly, watching them deflate with exaggerated pouts. “Cake is for after dinner, five… six thirty now, is time for breakfast. Why don’t you go get the rice started?”

The boys gasped, thrilled to be allowed to ‘make’ something on their own and scrambled to get off the bed. Lady leaped out of Aran’s lap, smacking him in the face with her tail, and followed after them cheerfully.

“.... Aran did you teach my kids about dating by using ice skating as a metaphor?” Shinsuke asked, quirking an eyebrow over at his best friend.

“... That… was perhaps something I did. Unless you wanted me to try and explain to a six year old that sometimes people aren’t ready to date. Because they’re six and they don’t understand the concept of ‘not ready’ for anything beyond dinner.” Aran said simply, but he still wasn’t looking Shinsuke in the eye. It only took a second for Shinsuke to realize that Aran was laughing.

“Are you-”

“When’s the wedding, Shin? I want to coordinate the boys’ outfits.” Aran teased, a loud laugh exploding from him at Shinsuke’s offended expression.

“I have seen the clothes you wear, you are not choosing the wedding outfits or colors or anything beyond food to be completely honest. You’d go with the ugliest colors just to see who died first, me or Tooru.” Shinsuke bumped their shoulders together, rolling his eyes at the second laugh that bubbled out of him. “Get out of my bed. I don’t want anything to do with you anymore. I’m telling the kids you died and we’re keeping Lady.”

Aran rolled his eyes, grabbing the blanket and chucking it over Shinsuke’s head. Shinsuke wrestled free, giving him a half glare as his hair stuck up in every direction.

“I’m going to help  _ our _ kids make breakfast.” Aran said sweetly, copying Shinsuke’s attitude from the night before, already sliding out of the bed as a pillow was chucked at his back.

“ _ Aran _ .” Shinsuke shouted after him, but Aran could hear his soft laugh. Relaxed and at peace, Aran knew that laugh and he’d missed it far too much.

  
  


“If we’re getting married, I want a divorce.” Shinsuke deadpanned as he was kicked in the shoulder on accident. Osamu gasped from his spot on Aran’s shoulders as they walked down the street, heading towards the park.

His small hands smacked Aran’s cheeks in an attempt to hold on and get his attention.

“Aran are you going to be okay? You’re still going to visit right?” He whined and Aran hushed him softly, reaching up to hold Osamu’s hands instead.

“Shinsuke’s just being cranky because I won’t let him hold Lady’s leash.” Aran soothed, squeezing his hand and looking over to where Atsumu was very carefully walking Lady beside him. Though from the way Lady kept her head turned toward Atsumu and nudged him carefully around any gaps in the road, Aran was pretty sure she was walking Atsumu.

“... That’s a good reason to be cranky.” Atsumu said, staring down at the sidewalk to keep from tripping and Lady tugged him away from a light post. Aran hummed in amusement, letting go of Osamu for a moment to tuck Atsumu closer to his hip instead of the edge of the sidewalk.

“I’m not cranky.” Shinsuke said, sounding mildly cranky but Aran could see the humor in his eyes.

“He’s very, very cranky.” Aran assured the twins, smiling over at Shinsuke’s eye roll. “But once we get to the park I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Don’t worry Shinsuke-san.” Osamu chirped, waving Aran’s hands in the air theatrically. “We’ll have lots of fun and then you’ll smile- like that! Aran, Aran! He smiled.”

Shinsuke was indeed smiling, and this time he wasn't trying to suppress it. He let it grow until it was comfortable on his face, shaking his head fondly at the gasps from each of them. He took a few steps ahead of them, stepping into the gated park and checking for any other dogs. Like he suspected, there were no other dogs so early in the morning.

He could hear shuffling behind him and seconds later Osamu and Atsumu were running past, Lady jogging quietly behind them.

“Sorry, they got excited.” Aran chuckled, eyes already scanning the park and relaxing when there was no sign of anything that could distract Lady. She was well trained, but she was, afterall, a dog.

“I can see that.” Shinsuke hummed quietly, watching the boys as they made their way over.

“... Shinsuke, are you still grumpy I didn’t let you hold Lady’s leash?” Aran asked, voice soft with apology but as soon as Shinsuke turned to look at him, he could see the laughter in his eyes. Aran was struggling not to laugh and Shinsuke shook his head at him.

“Why do the boys think we’re married? You’re clearly just harassing me, there’s absolutely no love here.” Shinsuke said, keeping his face neutral.

“Don’t start that. The boys may think you hung the moon but I’m well aware you’re a devil. I’ve been with you since you were fifteen remember?” 

“Yes I do, every minute.” Shinsuke said softly, tilting his head up to blink prettily up at him. Aran’s cheek burned red and he gaped at Shinsuke for a moment before it settled into a half hearted glare instead.

“How you manage to be so sweet but devious at the same time blows my mind, every single time.” Aran sighed, shaking his head and bumping his shoulders into Shinsuke’s at the sight of the amused smile returning.

They walked a few more steps, eyes on the boys chasing each other around with Lady herding them away from the half frozen lake. They were laughing and cheering and Shinsuke couldn’t say he’d ever felt more at peace, more at home, then right now.

He stepped to the right, fingers dancing at the edge of Aran’s palm before Aran’s hand moved to intertwine their fingers. He flicked his eyes up to Aran’s, taking in the softness around his own eyes and the curve of his mouth in an easy smile. He looked happy, incredibly happy.

“Aran… Remember what I said before?” Shinsuke asked softly, finding himself unable to stare at him any longer until the words were out. “About… waiting...I know I need to, but I don’t want to raise these boys without you… If  _ you _ are willing… to go… rather slow… probably unnaturally slow for most people… Why don’t we go ice skating next week? I have Thursday off next.”

Aran’s lips were curved in a smile when Shinsuke felt them press against his temple.

“Toldja before, Shin. I’m here, as long as it takes.” Aran said against his skin and Shinsuke could feel the affection in his words. “We can take breaks too, the boys come first after all.” 

Shinsuke didn’t disagree, but he also couldn’t help but think that they’d been rather glued to the hip since the break down last week. It didn’t feel like he was changing anything to be with Aran, nothing he wasn’t already changing for the boy’s atleast. Baby steps though, were just fine with him. Like Osamu had said, you had to learn to walk in skates before you got on the ice.

It didn’t have to be a date but Shinsuke wanted to spend more time with Aran regardless. Besides, ice skating gave him more excuses to hang off of Aran’s arm and guilt him into buying drinks.

“Shinsuke-san!” Atsumu’s voice made them both perk up, looking over at the child. His bruises had healed and he looked as cheerful and happy as any kid their age should be.

“We found a duck! Hurry up.” Osamu echoed beside him, pointing at the small herd of ducks settling on the icy water.

Aran and Shinsuke shared a soft laugh, picking up speed a little but not enough for the twins.

“Touchan!” They hollered together, pointing at the ducks with clear excitement.

Shinsuke stumbled on the snow but the hand in his kept him up and he moved a little faster, the warmth in his chest spreading throughout all of him. He almost thought he’d pass out from the overwhelming emotion but all he could do was hurry to his boys. His boys.

His family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come follow me on Twitter @watacchishinji, I'm always happy to chat!


	27. Epilogue

“Aww, he’s so cute.” Atsumu cooed, scooting closer to his brother to stroke his fingers over the puppy’s soft yellow fur. “Touchan, why didn’t you tell me we were getting another dog?”

His voice carried loudly over to the kitchen as he turned to look over the back over the couch. Shinsuke raised an eyebrow over at him, holding a wet spatula in his direction.

“Lower your voice before Shirofuki-chan thinks we’re murdering someone again… Aren’t you a little too old to be calling me Touchan, Atsumu?” Despite his admonishment, Shinsuke looked amused. His lips were curved subtly and his eyes were warm as he looked at his sons playing with the newest member of their family.

“No.” Atsumu grinned broadly. “I’ll stop calling you Touchan when ‘Samu marries Sunarin.”

“You’re just saying that to rile me up, but I have reached inner peace, I am the chosen one.” Osamu said, sticking his tongue out at his brother as he pet the crawling puppy. He made it just onto Osamu’s lap before passing out with a long yawn.

Atsumu paused, glaring at his brother and Shinsuke prepared himself to remind them to not wrestle on his couch especially with a puppy between them.

“I was always Lady’s favorite.” Atsumu shot back, smirking at Osamu’s offended gasp.

“You take that back, you absolute liar… Wait, Touchan is avoiding the question.” Osamu and Atsumu blinked at each other in that strange twin way before they turned their heads as one to stare over the couch at their father.

“No reason… But I will tell you that  _ I’m _ Lady’s favorite.” Shinsuke said, leaning down to feed the elderly dog a carrot. The thumping of her tail was still as loud as ever, and it was almost enough to drown out the sound of the office door slamming open.

“Run. He’s back.” Rintaro said, eyes wide and looking completely disheveled. Atsumu and Osamu were both frozen in confusion, staring at their friend when tan arms wrapped around his middle and lifted him up a few inches off the ground.

“Son of a- Gin, you said you would distract him!” Rintaro howled, wiggling in the grip but it did nothing to loosen the grip around him as he was shaken side to side in a familiar way. Atsumu completely forgot about the puppy or his father’s suspicious actions as he straightened up, looking excited.

“Sorry, Suna. He’s stronger than I remember and when he saw you bolt I couldn’t hold him back.” Hitoshi’s voice floated in from the office, quiet amused laughter filtering after him.

Rintaro still struggled as he was carried forward a few steps into the room before he was carefully deposited back down.

“The  _ hugging _ monster returned.” Rintaro said, lips twisted as if the idea of getting a hug was the most disgusting thing he could think of. “Oh hey, you guys got a puppy.”

“Stop sounding so grumpy, Rin-kun, we both know you missed me.” Shinji’s voice echoed with a loud laugh as he stepped from behind Rintaro, a wide grin on his lips. He barely had a chance to look over the room before he was being tackled.

“Atsu!” He chirped happily, catching the taller man in his arms and stumbling slightly before he was able to stand, easily holding Atsumu up and spinning around cheerfully. Atsumu was already kissing him, legs wrapped tightly around Shinji’s waist, uncaring if they fell.

“You have hair!” Atsumu said as they broke the kiss, blinking at the short, fluffy grayish hair in surprise. Behind him, Osamu and Rintaro were trying to stifle their laughter and Hitoshi was standing in the doorway with a raised eyebrow.

“Ats…. Atsumu, I was gone for  _ two months _ , and the only thing you can say… is I have hair?” Shinji said slowly, carefully, as if trying to make sure his boyfriend was as sane as he left him. Not that that meant much, Atsumu had lost most of his self control after his first year of being a member of the Kita household.

“Well you didn’t have hair before you left, it’s an important thing to notice.”

“... Did… you just assume I was bald, like, permanently?”

“I’m going to be completely honest because I feel like this is a trick question,” Atsumu said carefully, lips curving into a slight smirk at Shinji’s eye roll. “You have had the  _ exact _ same haircut for almost twelve years, so yeah.”

“I’m leaving you for Osamu.” Shinji said dryly, but he was still grinning as he kissed Atsumu again. “I missed you too.”

“They’re disgusting.” Osamu grumbled, shifting on the couch so Rintaro could stretch out over it. “If I ever get like that, kill me.”

“Hey, Hitoshi-kun,” Shinsuke called from the kitchen, attracting the other man further into the room, “do you remember that time when Osamu was eight and cried because he wasn’t allowed to kiss Tobio-kun at  _ my _ wedding?”

Osamu flushed red, spinning around to stare at his father as the rest of the group immediately started to laugh.

“Otosan!” He squeaked. “I was  _ eight _ .”

“It was very cute, you’re very cute when you have a crush. Almost as cute as when you try to be respectful.” Shinsuke said simply, walking over to gently pet his son’s hair down and ignore the grumble coming from him. “Shinji-kun, I’m glad your journey home was safe. How was India?”

“ _ Big _ . I always forget how big my family is over there, but it’s nice to see them again. Especially to be able to speak Hindi again with someone who can actually speak it back. Babba and Chichi try, but languages were never their speciality.” Shinji hummed, carefully lowering Atsumu back to the ground to incline his head respectfully to Shinsuke. He was already tucked into Atsumu’s side, looking incredibly content to be held in place by his boyfriend.

“I’ve heard the same from Tooru-kun.” Shinsuke hummed, leaning over the back of the couch to stroke the velvety ears of the puppy on his son’s lap.

“ ‘Tsumu, stop acting ridiculous.” Osamu sighed at his brother’s nuzzling and hugging of his boyfriend, nearly as dramatic as Aran and Shinsuke had to suppress a laugh. “Shinji-kun was only gone for a bit, if you left no one would miss you. He probably just considered it a break.”

“... Osamu-kun, didn’t you cry when Atsumu went to the National Training Camp last year and left you alone?” Shinji hummed rather innocently with a happy-go-lucky smile that Osamu had long since learned wasn’t innocent at all. Still. The only way he could have known that…

Osamu turned slowly, the faded blush returning full force as he glowered at Rintaro. The tall middle blocker shrugged, no sign of fear on his face whatsoever as he tapped away on his phone.

“You only told me that I couldn’t tell ‘Tsumu. Didn’t say anything about Shinji.” Rintaro said, lips twitching when Shinsuke wasn’t able to suppress his amused snort.

“Touchan!” Osamu cried, betrayed. “I can’t believe you two. I’m the good twin, bully ‘Tsumu.”

“Hey!”

“Sorry, ‘Samu, but I have way too much evidence saying the opposite.” Shigeru’s voice made Osamu scowl as the eighteen year old made his way into the house, this time closing the door behind him. “You’re as much the good twin as Shinji is the ugly one of the family.”

“And we all know I’m adorable!” Shinji chirped and Osamu grumbled quietly, but he was relaxing back into the couch.

“Why are you here anyways, Shigeru-kun?” He asked and the silver haired man held up his phone.

“Sunarin said you got a puppy.” He said, as if that explained why Osamu’s house was being overrun with people who most certainly did not live there. Well, Rintaro crashed there often enough trying to avoid his parents that Osamu couldn’t count him, but Hitoshi and Shigeru and Shinji definitely didn’t have house invasion rights.

“Yes, and he loves me more than ‘Tsumu.” Osamu said cheekily, ignoring his brother's glare as he waved Shigeru over to see the small golden retriever.

“Shinji, I want seven cats when we get married and move in together.” Atsumu declared, purposely looking away from every single person staring at him incredulously.

“Okay, I know you proposed before but one, we were six, and two… I don’t have a second one but your only proposal was when we were six, so forgive me for not holding out for that wedding. Or for the idea of having  _ seven  _ cats.” Shinji commented but it went ignored as the twins started to trade mocking faces. “Who am I kidding, I’m marrying a six year old either way, why not add some cats.”

“That’s the spirit, Shinji.” Atsumu pressed a kiss to his cheek before finally releasing him to try and heckle his brother for the puppy.

“He’ll probably settle with age… Maybe. Akagi still hasn’t.” Shinsuke hummed, waving Shinji and Hitoshi into the kitchen to finish the rest of the dinner prep. Thankfully, Shinsuke had gotten used to his house being overrun with loud teenagers and had made enough when the Matsukawa’s had informed him of Shinji’s return earlier that day.

“We’ll see if he actually manages a proposal or if he just assumes I signed the paperwork for him. I think he already forgot…” Shinji looked over at the twins who both had turned their heckling to Shigeru who seemed mildly offended at the team-up. “Yeah he definitely forgot. Hitoshi-kun, if Atsumu forgets to ask by the time we’re thirty-five, I’m marrying you.”

“I’m going to have so many husbands, Osamu and Rintaro said the same thing to me about each other.” Hitoshi hummed, lips twisted in an annoyed pout before it flipped into a small grin. “Oh, hey Aran-san.”

Shinsuke turned to greet his husband as he walked through the front door. The man paused, laying his coat over his arm as he glanced around the filled room.

“Hello, people who are not my children or my husband.” Aran said dryly, rolling his eyes at the chorus of ‘hey’s that rose up. “Did something happen? Oh, Shinji-kun, you returned, how was India?”

“It was great, I’ll tell you more over dinner, Babba, Papa, and Tatay are still in Argentina for Papa’s old team reunion so we’re going to have family dinner later. Hope you don’t mind me staying.”

“Shinsuke, can we trade kids with the Matsukawa’s? Shinji-kun and Shigeru-kun are basically twins.”

Immediately two shouts rose up from the couch, two identically betrayed faces meeting his.

“Touchan! Papa’s bullying us!” Atsumu declared, looking rather proud of the double fond eye roll he got from his parents. “And Osamu’s hogging the dog.”

“Lady’s in the kitchen-” Aran started, looking confused before his eyes landed on the puppy. There was a moment of silence as he slowly turned to a completely blank faced Shinsuke.

“Atsumu we were supposed to hide the puppy from Papa remember?” Osamu hissed and Atsumu turned pink.

“Oops… Okay, I got distracted by my boyfriend, what’s your excuse for just having him out in the open on your lap?”

“...  _ I _ got distracted by your boyfriend?”

“Liar, you just forgot.”

Aran left his kids to their squabbling, still staring down his unmoved husband who was ordering Hitoshi to the dishes.

“Shinsuke, my dear husband and heart.” Aran started, watching the lightest pink dust across Shinsuke’s ears and cheeks.

“Aran, how was work?”

“....Do you remember that conversation we had about you  _ not _ getting another dog?” Aran hummed, crossing his arms carefully. Shinsuke gave it a moment, fluttering his eyes at his husband sweetly.

“No?”

“.... I want you to know every bad habit the kids have, came from you.” Aran said rather affectionately, watching Shinsuke think about it before he shrugged and nodded.

“Yeah, probably. Besides we can’t get rid of the puppy, ‘Samu loves him. He’ll cry if we have to take him back.”

“It’s true I will, I learned that one from Tooru-san.” Osamu agreed, ignoring his brother’s grumbling about wanting a cat.

“There was a reason why I told you not to get a puppy.” Aran said, tugging the coat off of his arms to reveal another small puppy tucked into the crevice of his arm. The tiny border collie lifted her head up, blinking at all the new people staring at her before yawning and settling back in for another nap.

“I knew it.” Shinsuke smiled brightly, passing over the ladle to Shinji before he was moving over to his husband. Aran sighed, but he was already stepping closer and pressing a soft kiss to Shinsuke’s forehead in greeting.

“If you knew I was getting a puppy, then why did you get one as well?” Aran murmured quietly, not particularly upset so much as curious. He honestly was more disappointed in himself for not realizing that Shinsuke would most certainly pull something like this. Ten years of marriage and twenty-five years of knowing each other should have seen Aran extremely prepared for this moment.

Instead he was just watching the way Shinsuke’s face softened as he stroked over the puppy’s fur gently, scratching under her chin as she slept through it. Aran couldn’t help but think of Osamu when he was younger and couldn’t be woken by a hurricane no matter what they had tried.

“Mmm, two boys, two dogs…” Shinsuke said softly, then he glanced up to meet Aran’s gaze. Pretty silver eyes had long since started to show a hint of crows feet from so many years of smiling, they were just as loving, affectionate, and beautiful as they day they signed the adoption forms together. Today, they also held just a touch of sadness though.

Shinsuke stepped closer, pressing against Aran’s chest until Aran’s free arm settled around his waist naturally. Shinsuke shifted until he was leaning against Aran’s chest, watching their boys tease each other and their friends.

“Shinji! Will you tell Shigeru that  _ clearly _ you making our wedding cake is more romantic than making one of your  _ dad’s _ make it?” Atsumu called, stealing the puppy from his brother and cooing at his happy tail wag.

“I’m still waiting on a proposal before I answer any wedding questions.” Shinji said back, not even bothering to look up from the stove. “Osamu, get over here. You’re the one going to culinary school, put your experience to good use.”

“Hey, that’s not until May, until then I’m nobody's cooking slave.” Osamu snipped but he was already standing, an easy grin on his face as Shigeru and Atsumu stole his spot, laying half on top of Rintaro despite his groaning.

“Where are you going anyways?” Shigeru asked, shifting on the couch to watch his brother and Osamu cook with Hitoshi’s occasional help. “I’m staying here for school to help out at the bakery, so’s Shinj. And your dads have suckered Gin into helping around your shop. You stayin’ close by too?”

“Nah, I’m going out a ways to Osaka, not too far but I’ll be living by myself in the dorms… Gin, don’t give me that sad look, ‘Tsumu’s abandonin’ us and going to  _ Tokyo _ . Atleast I can visit on the weekends.” Osamu chided, bumping his shoulder against Hitoshi’s when the shorter man pouted worryingly over at him.

“Hey! Shinji’s going to Kana-” Atsumu shut his mouth at the quick glare from his boyfriend. “You’re right, I’m a terrible son, I will of course beg our parent’s forgiveness.”

Aran watched with mild amusement as Atsumu lifted the puppy up to press their cheeks together as he looked at his parents.

“I’m sorry?” He chirped, fluttering his eyes just like Shinsuke did whenever he wanted something.

“No you’re not, what was that about Shinji, did he tell you something else?” Shigeru interrupted before Aran and Shinsuke had a chance to respond and Atsumu turned pink, trying to avoid the question by passing over the dog.

“Ah.” Aran hummed, understanding the quiet grief in his love’s eyes. He couldn’t pretend it didn’t hurt him too, sometimes, when he realized how quickly his boys had grown up. They were already leaving, one of them literally across the country, and it felt like it was far too soon.

“They’re not leavin’ forever Shin,” He murmured, pressing another kiss to his husband’s forehead. “They’ll come back over and over and you’ll be sick of them showing up unannounced to eat our entire pantry.”

“I already miss them eating our entire pantry.” Shinsuke admitted, but the now familiar smile was curving his lips as he tilted his head up and kissed his husband sweetly. “I’m still not giving the puppy back. I already told Akagi and Oomimi to come over to meet both of them.”

“You are a terrible example for our kids.” Aran whispered against his lips, the achingly familiar warmth flooding his chest at the laugh that melted into another kiss. “But I wouldn’t want it any other way. C’mon, Shin, time to get the puppies’ area set up. We can leave the kids alone… Well, we can leave them under Hitoshi and Shinji’s supervision.”

Another laugh came from Shinsuke at the true statement and he stole another kiss.

“Aran, I love you.” He smiled as the deepest blush spread across his husband’s cheek at the random declaration. “Thank you, for everything.”

“Mmm, I love you too… You can thank me when you get up every two hours to let the puppies out to pee. It’s a nightmare, and now we get double trouble.” Aran kept his hold around his waist as he pulled him into the living room to pass the border collie onto Rintaro’s chest. “Hold onto her? C’mon Shin, I kept the supplies in the car so I could bring her in first.”

From her spot in the kitchen floor, Lady watched it all, tail thumping against the linoleum. She’d watched her boys grow up and her family bloom, and she’d watch it just a bit longer.

“You’re a good girl, Lady,” Shinji murmured to her as he knelt down next to the fifteen year old poodle with a piece of rice, her favorite treat. “Don’t you go worrying when Osamu and Atsumu leave, okay? Rin’ll keep ‘Samu out of trouble and I’ll be keepin’ an eye on ‘Tsumu. Just keep watchin’ over Aran-san and Shinsuke-san.”

Lady thumped her tail again, half closing her eyes. She’d get the puppies ready before she left her humans alone. They’d be in good hands. They were her family after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo the epilogue!  
> Officially Making a Home has ending.  
> Thank you all so much for following me with this. I am working on the matsuhanaiwaoi adoption story but I have no idea when that’ll be up or if I’ll finish it.  
> Follow me on Twitter @WatacchiShinji


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